What's happening
This bill allows tenants' groups in public housing to hold meetings in common areas without paying fees, with advance notice.
Why it matters
Empowers tenant organizations. by guaranteeing them free access to common spaces for meetings, which can help residents organize, share information, and advocate for their interests without financial barriers.
Promotes transparency and communication. between tenants and management by requiring advance notice (three business days), potentially reducing misunderstandings while allowing tenants to organize more freely.
Supports tenant rights and community engagement. in public housing, making it easier for residents to build collective power, address shared concerns, and participate in decision-making about their living environment.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Free Tenant Meeting Spaces
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3636
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 25, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to the use of areas in housing authority projects for tenant meetings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a new section 62 to read as follows:
§ 62. Tenant meetings. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations comprised of tenants residing in housing authority projects, conducting a meeting authorized pursuant to section two hundred thirty of the real property law shall have the right to meet without being required to pay a fee in any location on the premises which is devoted to the common use of all tenants, including a community or social room where use is normally subject to a fee, provided that such meeting is conducted in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstructing access to the premises or facilities, and further provided the tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations give three business days prior notice to the management office of the housing project where the meeting is to take place.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07414-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public housing law, in relation to the use of areas in housing authority projects for tenant meetings
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would allow tenants of public housing authority projects desiring to conduct a meeting pursuant to section two hundred thirty of the real property law, to have the use without charge, of any location owned by the authority and set aside as an area of common use for all tenants. Such use would include any community or social room where use is normally subject to a fee, providing the meeting is peacefully conducted, during reasonable hours and does not obstruct any access.
Justification
This legislation would give tenants of housing authority projects the opportunity to plan and schedule meetings within their specific complex without having to rent an authorized meeting space. Groups or committees that had previously been unable to meet in common areas, due to the inability to pay for a community or social room where use is usually subject to a fee, had been forced to meet in apartments or open areas in possible violation of building codes. This legislation would guarantee such groups free use of a bona-fide meeting place.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: S.3885 - Referred to Housing 2013-14: S.3103 - Referred to Housing 2011-12: S.1136 - Referred to Housing 2009-10: S.8916A - Passed Senate 2007-06: S.7289/A.5557 - Referred to Rules, Passed Assembly 2005-06: A.736 - Passed Assembly 2003-04: A.6769 - Passed Assembly
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.