What's happening
This bill requires that supportive housing facilities in New York City be distributed among boroughs based on population, with community board approval needed for new sites.
Why it matters
Aims to ensure a fairer geographic spread of supportive housing. by requiring facilities to be distributed among boroughs according to each borough’s share of New York City’s total population, addressing concerns about over-concentration in specific areas.
Shifts new supportive housing development to underserved boroughs. by mandating that future sites must be located in boroughs with the lowest current concentration of such facilities relative to their populations, potentially altering historic patterns of placement.
Empowers local community boards with veto authority. so that no new supportive housing facility can be established in a borough without explicit approval from that borough’s community or neighborhood board, increasing local input and oversight.
Broadly defines “supportive housing facility”. to include residences for those experiencing mental illness, trauma, abuse, chemical dependency, chronic illness, homelessness, domestic abuse, and veteran status, meaning the law would impact a wide range of vulnerable populations and the organizations that serve them.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Spread Supportive Housing Equally
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities
- Referred to cities
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2221
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 23, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to require that the siting, construction and establishment of supportive housing facilities in cities having a population of one million or more be disbursed in the boroughs of such cities in proportion to the population of each such borough
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, within cities having a population of one million or more, supportive housing facilities within each such city shall be sited, constructed and/or established throughout the boroughs of the city in proportion to each borough's population to the city's total population. Provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the siting, construction or establishment of any supportive housing facility for which the appropriate community board or, if there be no community board, the appropriate neighborhood board shall have granted an exemption from such provisions.
§ 2. Supportive housing facilities sited, constructed and/or established in cities having a population of one million or more after the effective date of this act shall be located in those boroughs of the city which have the lowest concentration of such facilities in proportion to the borough population to the city's population.
§ 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no supportive housing facility shall be sited, constructed or established within a city of one million or more unless the appropriate community board, or, if there be no community board, the appropriate neighborhood board shall have approved the siting, construction or establishment of such facility.
§ 4. For the purposes of this act, "supportive housing facility" means multiple residences operated by not-for-profit organizations and funded
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05615-01-9
S. 2221 2
by federal, state and municipal governments, which provide housing accommodations and support services to tenants having mental illness, trauma, abuse, chemical dependency and/or chronic illness; and shelters for the homeless, abused women and children, and veterans.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to require that the siting, construction and establishment of supportive housing facilities in cities having a population of one million or more be disbursed in the boroughs of such cities in propor- tion to the population of each such borough
Purpose of the bill
This bill would require that, in cities having a population of one million or more, supportive housing would be disbursed throughout the boroughs of such city in proportion to the borough population.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Creates a requirement of proportionality of the siting, construction and/or establishment of supportive housing facilities with regard to the respective borough's population.
Section 2: Requires supportive housing facilities sited, constructed and/or established in cities with a population of one million or more after the effective date of this act shall be located in boroughs with the lowest concentration of such facilities in proportion to the borough population.
Section 3: Requires that prior to any siting, construction or establish- ment of such supportive housing facility, the local community board, or if no board exists, the appropriate neighborhood board, must grant approval of the location of the facility. Additionally, this section provides that such local community board, or if no board exists the appropriate neighborhood board, shall have the power to grant exemption for certain supportive housing facilities.
Section 4: Provides a definition of what qualifies as a "supportive housing facility" for the purposes of this act.
Section 5: Provides the enacting clause.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: A.6701 - Referred to Cities
Justification
Supportive Housing Facilities provide critical care and well-being to people who need them. Concentration of housing facilities in selected areas of New York. City have forced individuals to relocate, travel oppressive distances and/or cluster in areas containing such facilities, leaving the vast majority of New York City without any such necessary facilities. By providing for proportional siting, construction and establishment of such facilities, the population of New York City, as a whole, would have better access to the necessary care and supportive services for people whose health and well-being depend on such services.
By requiring community board approval, such siting, construction and establishment decisions will have to be approved by active and engaged members of the community. The provision of stratified siting, construction and establishment would ensure that people in New York City seeking help would have a local option for treatment moving forward.
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.