What's happening
This bill requires limited-profit housing companies to use an electronic application system and follow standardized procedures for applicant selection, rejections, and appeals.
Why it matters
Improves transparency and fairness. by requiring a standardized, written procedure for how applications are processed, numbered, and how tenants are selected, reducing confusion and potential favoritism in limited-profit housing.
Mandates clear communication to rejected applicants. , including written notice with specific reasons for rejection and detailed instructions on how to appeal, which could empower applicants and ensure accountability from housing providers.
Creates a centralized, electronic system. for handling applications and waiting lists, making it easier for applicants to track their status, find information about housing companies, and potentially reducing paperwork and delays.
Enhances privacy protections. by requiring that any personally identifiable information on waiting lists is kept confidential, addressing concerns about data security for applicants.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Digitize Housing Waitlists
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A5175
- Ordered to third reading cal.1730
- Referred to rules
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.
Digitize Housing Applications
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Michael Blake
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6499
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
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 inconsistent with the procedures developed by the commissioner or supervising agency and any other requirements set forth in this article. For
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08654-01-9
S. 6499 2
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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
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
Purpose
To ensure that the process of choosing applicants for tenancy in Mitc- hell-Lama developments is consistent and made available to the public.
Summary of provisions
New subdivision 13 would allow for a commissioner or supervising agency to develop a written procedure with regard to how applications for admission to a company are processed and numbered, and how tenants are selected.
New subdivision 14 would allow for the Commissioner of Homes and Commu- nity Renewal or Supervising Agency to develop a procedure where appli- cants are notified if their application is rejected. The notification would be sent to the applicant in written form within sixty days of the limited-profit housing company's decision to reject the applicant, and would include reasons why the applicant was rejected and information regarding the appears process for such decision. Also, for purposes of this subdivision, an applicant would 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 applica- tions.
This bill would also allow for the Commissioner or the Supervising Agen- cy to 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.
Justification
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation's largest municipal housing preservation and devel- opment agency. Its mission is to make strategic investments that will improve and strengthen neighborhoods while preserving the stability and affordability of existing housing stock. The Mitchell-Lama program was created in 1955 to provide affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate-income families. In New York City, there are 97 HPD-supervised Mitchell-Lama rental and limited-equity cooperative developments, with more than 45,300 total units. Each development is administered by either a Board of Directors (cooperatives) or a managing agent (rentals and cooperatives).
Applicants apply to the individual developments for a unit of a specific size, and their names are placed on a manually maintained waiting list (list) created by HPD staff and subsequently maintained by the respec- tive managing agents. As vacancies occur, Applicants should be selected in the order they appear on the list and sent to HPD for approval.
An audit completed in July 2015 found the following inconstancies with the application process: applicants who were next in line for units in a specific development were not always offered and/or awarded a unit in the order they were listed. Also, they identified unit occupants whose names were not submitted to HPD for approval by the respective managing agents. The audit also found inconsistencies in the methods used by HPD staff to place applicants on development waiting lists. This bill would help ensure that any applicant to a Mitchell-Lama housing unit is aware of their status on the waiting list, if applicable, and would also require all Mitchell-Lama housing developments to have a uniform, base- line standard for the handling and processing of applications. By adding these new requirements, we hope to rectify these issues and streamline the application process.
Legislative history
S 6264 COMRIE Same as A 4504 Blake.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect sixty days after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.