What's happening
This bill establishes a grant program to support affordable independent senior housing with resident assistance services in New York.
Why it matters
Targets low-income seniors. The program is specifically designed for independent seniors over age 60, with at least 80% of residents in participating housing earning no more than 60% of the area median income—directing assistance toward those most in financial need.
Promotes independence and quality of life. Grants will fund services that help seniors maintain independence and improve well-being, addressing gaps between fully independent living and more intensive care settings.
Careful compliance to avoid regulatory burdens. The law mandates that services funded by the grants must not require the property to be licensed as an adult care facility or assisted living residence, protecting participating housing from added regulatory complexity and costs.
Urban-rural equity. The bill requires that 60% of funds go to urban projects and 40% to rural, aiming for a balanced approach that addresses the distinct needs of both city and rural seniors across New York State.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Help for Senior Housing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
10 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
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.
Help Seniors Afford Apartments
In Senate Committee · Housing, Construction And Community Development · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4358
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ, ROZIC, JAFFEE, TAYLOR, COLTON, BARRON, WALLACE, DE LA ROSA, SANTABARBARA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. McDONOUGH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to establishing an affordable independent senior housing assistance program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The private housing finance law is amended by adding a new article 29-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE XXIX-A
AFFORDABLE INDEPENDENT SENIOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Section 1265. Affordable independent senior housing assistance program.
§ 1265. Affordable independent senior housing assistance program. 1. Establishment. The commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of health, shall develop an affordable independent senior housing assistance program, which shall provide grants within amounts appropriated or otherwise available therefor to affordable independent senior housing properties to establish and operate resident assistance programs. The grants shall be distributed by the commissioner of health.
2. Definitions. For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) "affordable independent senior housing property" shall mean apartment buildings or apartment complexes occupied by individuals over sixty years of age, who live independently and at least eighty percent of whom have a total household income that does not exceed sixty percent of the area median income; and
(b) "resident assistance" shall mean support offered to residents of affordable independent senior housing properties to help promote healthy living by extending independence and improving quality of life.
3. Assistance. Resident assistance shall be determined by the commissioner of health; provided however, that the provision of such assistance shall not include any services or assistance that requires the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08339-01-9
A. 4358 2
property to be licensed as an adult care facility pursuant to article seven of the social services law or an assisted living residence pursuant to article forty-six-B of the public health law. Prior to issuing any grants pursuant to this article, the department of health shall solicit input from various stakeholders to determine what would constitute assistance to ensure that such assistance would not require such licensure. A summary of such input and the determination by the department of health as to whether the assistance provided by the grant applicant would require licensure as an adult care facility or assisted living residence shall be in writing and shared with the various stakeholders prior to the approval of any grants pursuant to this section.
4. Allocation. Sixty percent of the total funds awarded pursuant to this article in any fiscal year shall be allocated to projects located in urban areas of the state, as such term is defined in subdivision four of section twelve hundred thirty-one of this chapter. Forty percent of the total funds awarded pursuant to this article in any fiscal year shall be allocated to projects located in rural areas of the state, as such term is defined in subdivision three of section twelve hundred thirty-one of this chapter. Any funds appropriated or otherwise available therefor for the program may be transferred to the department of health. A portion of any amounts appropriated or otherwise available therefor may be used by the commissioner of health to administer the program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.