What's happening
This bill requires all family homeless shelters in New York City serving ten or more families to have a working kitchen in each housing unit.
Why it matters
Promotes Family Dignity and Autonomy. By requiring each family to have a private, fully equipped kitchen, the bill supports families’ ability to prepare their own meals, catering to dietary needs, cultural preferences, and routines, which is especially important for families experiencing homelessness.
Improves Nutrition and Health Outcomes. Access to a personal kitchen enables families to cook healthier meals rather than relying on communal or pre-packaged food, potentially reducing health risks associated with poor nutrition in shelter settings.
Establishes Accountability for Shelter Operators. The bill enforces a strict timeline (60 days after contract registration) for compliance, and imposes a penalty—prohibiting new client intake—if requirements are not met, thereby incentivizing prompt upgrades and minimizing disruptions to shelter residents.
May Increase Operational Costs and Encourage Infrastructure Investment. Shelter providers will need to invest in renovations and appliances, which could lead to higher costs or logistical challenges, but also incentivizes the creation of higher-quality, more livable temporary housing for families in need.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Kitchens in Family Shelters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to social services
- Referred to social services
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.
Require Kitchens in Shelter Units
In Assembly Committee · Social Services · Sponsor Daniel Rosenthal
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3915
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 21, 2019
Introduced by Sen. STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring family homeless shelters for ten or more families in the city of New York to have a working kitchen in each individual housing unit
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 152-c to read as follows:
§ 152-c. On-site working kitchens. In the city of New York any provider of temporary housing assistance for ten or more families in a family homeless shelter shall be required to have a working kitchen in each individual housing unit. Such "working kitchen" shall be installed within sixty days of the registration of the contract between the operator of such family homeless shelter and the city of New York. For the purposes of this section, "working kitchen" shall mean an area in each individual housing unit where food can be prepared and cooked. Such working kitchen shall include, at a minimum, a sink, a refrigerator and a double burner stove. If a provider of temporary family housing shelter fails to meet the requirements set out in this section, it shall be prohibited from accepting any new clients until such requirements are met.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01024-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring family homeless shelters for ten or more families in the city of New York to have a working kitchen in each individual housing unit
Specific provisions
Section 1: Adds a new section 152-c to the social services law which requires that in the city of New York, any provider of temporary housing assistance for ten or more families in a family homeless shelter as referenced in 18 NYCRR Part 900, requiring a working kitchen in each individual housing unit.
The kitchen shall be installed within 60 days of the registration of the contract between the operator of such a family homeless shelter and the City of New York.
"Working kitchen" shall mean an area in each unit where food can be prepared, cooked and refrigerated and will include at a minimum, a sink, a refrigerator and a double burner stove.
Failure to meet the requirements will mean that the facility will be prohibited from accepting any new clients until such requirements are met.
Justification
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that as of November, 2016 there were 86,352 homeless people in New York State. Of that number, 51,037, or nearly 60%, were families with children.
According to the Department of Homeless Services in New York City, as of December 14, 2017, more than 60,000 people were in shelters comprised of more than 40,000 adults and children in family shelters.
In March 2017, the Coalition for the Homeless reported that as of Janu- ary 2017, there were 62,692 people in shelters and that included 57,677 in family shelters. These statistics demonstrate the need for family shelters and the need for kitchens.
Some of these homeless shelters have been established in buildings that were former hotels or motels. These shelters often have a large kitchen but the kitchen is not available to the residents. Often, all they have is a small communal microwave oven.
Although food is provided, families often choose to spend their food dollars on fast food take-out meals because the meals provided are unap- pealing especially for children. This is an unhealthy and expensive alternative. It is also unrealistic, disruptive, and possibly dangerous to expect a mother with an infant or the parent of a small child to go down to the communal microwave oven area to heat up food for a hungry child in the middle of the night. Since a parent is responsible for the supervision of his/her children at all times while in shelter, this would mean waking other children up to take them along or leaving them unattended. Providing small kitchen facilities in each room would be a safer and healthier alternative for families living in shelters. It is required by regulations but not by statute. This would remedy this oversight.
Prior legislative history
2018: S 7181A - referred to Social Services
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it becomes law provided that, effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and complete on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.