End Rent Caps for High Earners

Section 1. Paragraph (n) of subdivision 2 of section 2 of chapter 274 of the laws of 1946 constituting the emergency housing rent control law is REPEALED.

§ 2. Section 2-a of chapter 274 of the laws of 1946, constituting the emergency housing rent control law, as amended by section 32 of part B of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, paragraph 3 of subdivision (a) as amended by section 14 of part A of chapter 20 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

§ 2-a. (a) 1. For purposes of this section, annual income shall mean the federal adjusted gross income as reported on the New York state income tax return. Total annual income means the sum of the annual incomes of all persons who occupy the housing accommodation as their primary residence on other than a temporary basis, excluding bona fide

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD10073-01-7

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employees of such occupants residing therein in connection with such employment and excluding bona fide subtenants in occupancy pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred twenty-six-b of the real property law. In the case where a housing accommodation is sublet, the annual income of the sublessor shall be considered.

2. Deregulation income threshold means total annual income equal to one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years for proceedings commenced before July first, two thousand eleven. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand [eleven] sixteen, the deregulation income threshold means the total annual income equal to [two hundred] one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years.

[3. Deregulation rent threshold means two thousand dollars for proceedings commenced prior to July first, two thousand eleven. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand eleven, the deregulation rent threshold means two thousand five hundred dollars. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, the deregulation rent threshold means two thousand seven hundred dollars, provided, however, that on January 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, the maximum legal regulated rent for this deregulation threshold shall be adjusted by the same percentage as the most recent one year renewal adjustment adopted by the rent guidelines board.]

(b) On or before the first day of May in each calendar year, the owner of each housing accommodation [for which the maximum monthly rent equals or exceeds the deregulation rent threshold] may provide the tenant or tenants residing therein with an income certification form prepared by the division of housing and community renewal on which such tenant or tenants shall identify all persons referred to in subdivision (a) of this section and shall certify whether the total annual income is in excess of the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years. Such income certification form shall state that the income level certified to by the tenant may be subject to verification by the department of taxation and finance pursuant to section one hundred seventy-one-b of the tax law and shall not require disclosure of any income information other than whether the aforementioned threshold has been exceeded. Such income certification form shall clearly state that: (i) [only tenants residing in housing accommodations which had a maximum monthly rent equal to or in excess of the deregulation rent threshold are required to complete the certification form; (ii) that] tenants have protections available to them which are designed to prevent harassment; [(iii) that] and (ii) tenants are not required to provide any information regarding their income except that which is requested on the form and may contain such other information the division deems appropriate. The tenant or tenants shall return the completed certification to the owner within thirty days after service upon the tenant or tenants. In the event that the total annual income as certified is in excess of the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years, the owner may file the certification with the state division of housing and community renewal on or before June thirtieth of such year. Upon filing such certification with the division, the division shall, within thirty days after the filing, issue an order of deregulation providing that such housing accommodations shall not be subject to the provisions of this law as of the first day of June in the year next succeeding the filing of the certification by the owner. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return

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receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be mailed to the owner.

(c) 1. In the event that the tenant or tenants either fail to return the completed certification to the owner on or before the date required by subdivision (b) of this section or the owner disputes the certification returned by the tenant or tenants, the owner may, on or before June thirtieth of such year, petition the state division of housing and community renewal to verify, pursuant to section one hundred seventyone-b of the tax law, whether the total annual income exceeds the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years. Within twenty days after the filing of such request with the division, the division shall notify the tenant or tenants that such tenant or tenants must provide the division with such information as the division and the department of taxation and finance shall require to verify whether the total annual income exceeds the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years. The division's notification shall require the tenant or tenants to provide the information to the division within sixty days of service upon such tenant or tenants and shall include a warning in bold faced type that failure to respond will result in an order of deregulation being issued by the division for such housing accommodation.

2. If the department of taxation and finance determines that the total annual income is in excess of the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years, the division shall, on or before November fifteenth of such year, notify the owner and tenants of the results of such verification. Both the owner and the tenants shall have thirty days within which to comment on such verification results. Within forty-five days after the expiration of the comment period, the division shall, where appropriate, issue an order of deregulation providing that such housing accommodation shall not be subject to the provisions of this law as of the first day of March in the year next succeeding the filing of the owner's petition with the division. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be sent to the owner.

3. In the event the tenant or tenants fail to provide the information required pursuant to paragraph one of this subdivision, the division shall issue, on or before December first of such year, an order of deregulation providing that such housing accommodation shall not be subject to the provisions of this law as of the first day of March in the year next succeeding the last day on which the tenant or tenants were required to provide the information required by such paragraph. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be sent to the owner.

4. The provisions of the state freedom of information act shall not apply to any income information obtained by the division pursuant to this section.

(d) This section shall apply only to paragraph (m) of subdivision two of section two of this law.

(e) Upon receipt of such order of deregulation pursuant to this section, an owner shall offer the housing accommodation subject to such order to the tenant at a rent not in excess of the market rent, which for the purposes of this section means a rent obtainable in an arm's length transaction. Such rental offer shall be made by the owner in writing to the tenant by certified and regular mail and shall inform the tenant that such offer must be accepted in writing within ten days of

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receipt. The tenant shall respond within ten days after receipt of such offer. If the tenant declines the offer or fails to respond within such period, the owner may commence an action or proceeding for the eviction of such tenant.

§ 3. Section 26-403.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by section 34 of part B of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, and paragraph 3 of subdivision (a) as amended by section 15 of part A of chapter 20 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

§ 26-403.1 High income rent deregulation. (a) 1. For purposes of this section, annual income shall mean the federal adjusted gross income as reported on the New York state income tax return. Total annual income means the sum of the annual incomes of all persons who occupy the housing accommodation as their primary residence other than on a temporary basis, excluding bona fide employees of such occupants residing therein in connection with such employment and excluding bona fide subtenants in occupancy pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred twenty-six-b of the real property law. In the case where a housing accommodation is sublet, the annual income of the sublessor shall be considered.

2. Deregulation income threshold means total annual income equal to one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years for proceedings commenced prior to July first, two thousand eleven. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand [eleven] sixteen, the deregulation income threshold means the total annual income equal to [two hundred] one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars in each of the two preceding calendar years.

[3. Deregulation rent threshold means two thousand dollars for proceedings commenced before July first, two thousand eleven. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand eleven, the deregulation rent threshold means two thousand five hundred dollars. For proceedings commenced on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, the deregulation rent threshold means two thousand seven hundred dollars, provided, however, that on January first, two thousand sixteen, and annually thereafter, such deregulation rent threshold shall be adjusted by the same percentage as the most recent one year renewal adjustment adopted by the relevant guidelines board.]

(b) On or before the first day of May in each calendar year, the owner of each housing accommodation [for which the maximum rent equals or exceeds the deregulation rent threshold] may provide the tenant or tenants residing therein with an income certification form prepared by the division of housing and community renewal on which such tenant or tenants shall identify all persons referred to in subdivision (a) of this section and shall certify whether the total annual income is in excess of the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years. Such income certification form shall state that the income level certified to by the tenant may be subject to verification by the department of taxation and finance pursuant to section one hundred seventy-one-b of the tax law and shall not require disclosure of any income information other than whether the aforementioned threshold has been exceeded. Such income certification form shall clearly state that: (i) [only tenants residing in housing accommodations which have a maximum monthly rent that equals or exceeds the deregulation rent threshold are required to complete the certification form; (ii) that] tenants have protections available to them which are designed to prevent harassment; [(iii) that] and (ii) tenants are not required to provide any information regarding their income except that which is requested on the form and may contain such other information the division deems appropri-

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ate. The tenant or tenants shall return the completed certification to the owner within thirty days after service upon the tenant or tenants. In the event that the total annual income as certified is in excess of the deregulation income threshold in each of the two preceding calendar years, the owner may file the certification with the state division of housing and community renewal on or before June thirtieth of such year. Upon filing such certification with the division, the division shall, within thirty days after the filing, issue an order of deregulation providing that such housing accommodations shall not be subject to the provisions of this law as of the first day of June in the year next succeeding the filing of the certification by the owner. A copy of such order shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant or tenants and a copy thereof shall be mailed to the owner.