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A5175Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS6499

Digitize Housing Applications

Official title

“Relates to establishing an electronic automated system for applications and waiting lists and to develop a written procedure for applicant selection and rejection”

Sponsor Michael BlakeAD-79+15 co-sponsorsAffects Housing
Status
Signed by Governor
Impact
6/10
Moderate
Outcome
Signed into law

Bill progress

Signed into law

What's happening

This bill requires limited-profit housing companies to use an electronic system for applications, establish written selection procedures, and notify rejected applicants with an appeals process.

Why it matters

  1. Increases transparency and fairness in tenant selection. By requiring all limited-profit housing companies to follow a standardized, written procedure for processing and selecting applicants, the bill aims to reduce arbitrary or discriminatory decisions and ensures applicants know how the system works.

  2. Empowers rejected applicants. The new requirement for written rejection notices—detailing the reasons for denial and outlining an appeals process—gives applicants a clear path to challenge or understand their rejection, potentially reducing confusion and increasing accountability for housing providers.

  3. Modernizes and secures application management. Mandating a publicly available electronic system for applications and waiting lists not only streamlines the process for applicants but also provides privacy protections for sensitive information, while giving the public better visibility into the status of available housing.

  4. Enhances public access to housing information. By making general details about each housing company and the status of their waiting lists publicly available, the bill helps prospective tenants make more informed decisions and reduces barriers to accessing affordable housing opportunities.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Digitize Housing Applications

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Michael Blake

Assembly Member · Assembly District 79

History

  1. Signed chap.455
  2. Delivered to governor
  3. Returned to assembly
  4. Repassed senate
  5. 3rd reading cal.1730
  6. Substituted for S6499
  7. Committed to rules
  8. Returned to senate
  9. Repassed assembly
  10. Restored to third reading
  11. Amend by restoring to original print 5175
  12. Amended on third reading 5175a
Show 9 earlier actions
  1. Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
  2. Returned to assembly
  3. Recalled from senate
  4. Referred to housing, construction and community development
  5. Delivered to senate
  6. Passed assembly
  7. Advanced to third reading cal.246
  8. Reported
  9. 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.

S6499Senate

Digitize Housing Waitlists

Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Leroy Comrie

Impact 6 · Moderate0% to pass

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

5175

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

February 7, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. BLAKE, BARRON, COOK, CRESPO, DE LA ROSA, GOTT- FRIED, HYNDMAN, MOSLEY, ORTIZ, PHEFFER AMATO, PICHARDO, RICHARDSON, SEAWRIGHT, TAYLOR, WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing

AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to establishing an electronic automated system for applications and waiting lists, and to develop a written procedure for applicant selection and rejection

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Section 31 of the private housing finance law is amended by adding three new subdivisions 13, 14 and 15 to read as follows:

13. The commissioner or supervising agency shall develop a written procedure with regard to how applications for admission to a company are processed and numbered, and how tenants are selected. Such procedure shall be implemented and followed by all limited-profit housing companies subject to the provisions of this article; provided, however, that any limited-profit housing company may elect additional procedures so long as such procedures are not inconsistent with the procedures developed by the commissioner or supervising agency and any other requirements set forth in this article.

14. The commissioner or supervising agency shall develop a procedure whereby applicants are notified in the case that their application is rejected by a limited-profit housing company subject to the provisions of this article, and such procedure shall also include the appeal's process available to the rejected applicant. The notification that shall be sent to the applicant shall be in written form, include reasons why the applicant was rejected, the appeal's process, and be sent to the applicant within sixty days after the limited-profit housing company decided to reject such applicant. Any limited-profit housing company may elect additional procedures so long as such procedures are not incon-

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

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD08654-01-9

A. 5175 2

sistent with the procedures developed by the commissioner or supervising agency and any other requirements set forth in this article. For purposes of this subdivision, an applicant shall not be deemed rejected if their application is still active on the limited-profit housing company's waiting list and such waiting list is still open and accepting applications.

15. The commissioner or the supervising agency shall develop and require the use of a publicly available electronic automated system for limited-profit housing companies to store, process, and maintain applications and waiting lists. Waiting lists maintained by each such company shall use a method that protects any personally identifiable information of applicants from being publicly disclosed or accessible to the public. Such electronic automated system shall also include general information about each company, including, but not limited to: the name and address of the company; the management office and address; the number and size of all units in each building; and information on the status of each waiting list, including whether the limited-profit housing company is currently accepting applications and how long applicants may have to wait.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it 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.