What's happening
This bill exempts qualifying senior citizen homeowners in New York City from future water rate increases, with limited exceptions.
Why it matters
Helps low-income seniors stay in their homes. By freezing water rates for qualifying senior homeowners with limited incomes, the bill aims to protect older adults on fixed budgets from future cost increases, making it easier for them to afford to age in place.
Targets relief to those most in need. The exemption is specifically limited to homeowners over 65 with household incomes under $50,000 and applies only to primary residences, ensuring that the benefit goes to vulnerable, lower-income seniors rather than wealthier property owners or those with multiple homes.
Includes safeguards for city water resources. The water rate freeze can be temporarily suspended for up to one year by city officials during emergencies like droughts or disasters, balancing senior relief with the need to manage critical water supplies during shortages.
Allows stacking with other benefits. Seniors who qualify for the water rate freeze can still receive other property tax exemptions or credits, maximizing the financial relief available to them and further reducing the risk of displacement due to rising living costs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Freeze Seniors’ Water Bills
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 26
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to cities
- Print number 247a
- Amend (t) and recommit to cities
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Freeze Water Rates for Seniors
In Senate Committee · Cities · Sponsor Toby Ann Stavisky
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
247--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN, BARNWELL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing certain elderly individuals with an exemption from increases in water rates
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 24-340 to read as follows:
§ 24-340 Senior citizen water rate freeze. a. For purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Qualified homeowner" means a person who: (a) is at least sixtyfive years of age; (b) owns real property; and (c) has had a total household income of less than fifty thousand dollars for two consecutive income tax years beginning in two thousand seventeen, as verified by the New York city department of finance;
(2) "Real property" means a one, two, three, or four family home owned by a qualified homeowner that serves as the primary residence of such homeowner;
(3) "Water rate increase" means an increase in water rates that takes effect subsequent to a qualified homeowner's eligibility under this section.
b. Real property owned by a qualified homeowner shall be exempt from any charges due to a water rate increase.
c. The exemption provided by this section may be suspended for no more than one calendar year by the commissioner of the department of environmental protection of the city of New York (1) in the event of a drought, or (2) in the event of a disaster or catastrophe other than drought,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02931-02-9
A. 247--A 2
which causes or may cause an actual and immediate shortage of available and usable water.
d. Eligibility for the exemption provided by this section shall not preclude a qualified homeowner's eligibility for any other exemption or credit to which they are entitled.
§ 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.