What's happening
This bill establishes a five-year moratorium on the dissolution of Mitchell-Lama urban rental companies and mandates a study on the program’s future.
Why it matters
Protects affordable housing. By preventing the dissolution of Mitchell-Lama urban rental companies for five years, the bill aims to preserve thousands of affordable housing units at risk of conversion to market-rate rents, giving current tenants stability and safeguarding a critical resource for low- and middle-income New Yorkers.
Initiates strategic review. The mandated study requires state and city housing agencies to closely examine the Mitchell-Lama program’s long-term viability, including exploring ways to expand it, update income eligibility, and improve incentives for developer participation—potentially shaping the future of affordable housing policy.
Focuses on systemic reform and growth. By calling for policy recommendations and analysis of financing, tax models, and geographic needs, the bill could pave the way for broader reforms—addressing both current challenges and adapting the program to meet evolving demographic and economic realities.
Ensures legislative oversight. With required interim and final reports to top legislative leaders and the governor, the bill guarantees ongoing government attention and accountability, increasing the likelihood that study findings will inform subsequent legislative or regulatory action.
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Who cares
Urban rental Mitchell-Lama companies
The bill would prohibit otherwise eligible companies from voluntarily dissolving for five years.
Mitchell-Lama tenants and low- and middle-income households
The bill would pause voluntary dissolutions of urban rental companies and require a study of housing preservation, expansion and income eligibility criteria.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal
The agency would lead the study in consultation with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation, with preliminary findings due within two years and final recommendations after four years.
Housing developers
The study would examine tax and financing models to encourage participation in Mitchell-Lama and identify geographic areas for potential housing.
Headline styles
Freeze Mitchell-Lama Dissolutions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5130
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to initiating a five-year moratorium on the dissolution of any urban rental Mitchell-Lama company, and in relation to establishing the implementation of a Mitchell-Lama housing program study; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof
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 section 35-a to read as follows:
§ 35-a. Moratorium on voluntary dissolution. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any urban rental company created pursuant to this article and otherwise eligible to voluntarily dissolve pursuant to section thirty-five of this article shall be prohibited from such dissolution.
§ 2. 1. Mitchell-Lama housing program study. New York State Homes and Community Renewal, in consultation with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation, shall execute a study on the preservation, sustainability, reform, and growth of the Mitchell-Lama housing program, including, but not limited to:
a. recommendations for the expansion of the Mitchell-Lama housing program to address the affordable housing needs of New York's growing population;
b. taxation and financing models to encourage housing developers to participate in the Mitchell-Lama housing program;
c. adjusting the amount of time a company must remain in the Mitchell-Lama housing program before it may voluntarily dissolve;
d. an analysis of current family income criteria used to determine access to low- and middle-income housing;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09273-01-9
A. 5130 2
e. a determination of geographic areas of the state to best locate potential Mitchell-Lama housing;
f. policy initiative responsive to the present and future needs of the Mitchell-Lama housing program and of Mitchell-Lama developments owned by urban rental or mutual companies;
g. the feasibility of methods to preserve and expand the inventory of Mitchell-Lama housing relative to and within New York's other low- and middle-income housing programs.
2. Preliminary and final study report. New York State Homes and Community Renewal shall submit to the governor, the speaker and the minority leader of the assembly, and the temporary president and the minority leader of the senate a preliminary report with findings concerning the Mitchell-Lama housing program within two years of the effective date of this section. Four years after the effective date of this section, New York State Homes and Community Renewal shall submit to the governor, the speaker and minority leader of the assembly, and the temporary president and minority leader of the senate a final report with recommendations respecting the Mitchell-Lama housing program study.
3. Assistance. To the maximum extent possible, New York State Homes and Community Renewal shall be entitled to request and receive, and shall utilize and be provided with such facilities, resources, and data from any state court, department, division, board, bureau, commission, agency, or political subdivision that they may reasonably request to properly execute their responsibilities pursuant to this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the provisions of section one of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed five years after this act shall have become a law.
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.