What's happening
This bill exempts non-profit housing development fund corporations in New York City from paying for water usage and supply.
Why it matters
Reduces operational costs for non-profit housing. By exempting non-profit housing development fund corporations from water charges, the bill lowers ongoing expenses, potentially allowing these organizations to allocate more resources toward maintenance, services, or keeping rents affordable for low-income tenants.
Supports affordable housing initiatives. The bill specifically targets non-profit entities focused on providing housing for low-income families, reinforcing public policy goals around affordable housing and potentially incentivizing more non-profits to enter or expand in the sector.
Aligns with treatment of other charitable organizations. By adding non-profit housing development fund corporations to the list of institutions already receiving water bill exemptions (like hospitals and orphanages), the legislation recognizes housing as a form of essential social service and puts it on par with other charitable activities in the eyes of city law.
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Who cares
Nonprofit housing development fund corporations in New York City
Qualifying providers of housing for low-income families would receive free city water, and real estate used exclusively by them would be released from liens and charges for past and future water use.
Low-income families living in qualifying housing
The bill would eliminate city water charges for their housing providers, though it does not require savings to be passed on to residents.
New York City water billing officials
The bill would expand the institutions eligible for free water and require qualifying properties to be exempted from water liens and charges.
New York City mayor’s office
The mayor would retain authority to deny the exemption by executive order to qualifying providers eligible for government reimbursement of water payments.
Headline styles
Free Water for Nonprofit Housing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities
- 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.
Free Water for Nonprofit Housing
In Assembly Committee · Cities · Sponsor Tremaine Wright
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6637
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
July 29, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MONTGOMERY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend chapter 696 of the laws of 1887 relating to providing hospitals, orphan asylums and other charitable institutions in the city of New York with water and remitting assessments therefor, in relation to exempting certain housing development fund corporations from payment for water usage and supply
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 696 of the laws of 1887 relating to providing hospitals, orphan asylums and other charitable institutions in the city of New York with water and remitting assessments therefor, as amended by chapter 950 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as follows:
[§] Section 1. a. Except as otherwise provided in section three of this act, the several hospitals, dispensaries, orphan asylums, registered volunteer ambulance corps, homes for the aged, non-profit housing development fund corporations as defined in subdivision b of this section, houses or homes for the reformation, protection or shelter of females, day nurseries or corporations or societies for the care and instruction of poor babies and needy children, any corporation which was created by an act of congress of the United States to be non-profit and without capital stock and organized exclusively for the purpose of furnishing volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war and to continue and carry on a system of national international relief in time of peace and to mitigate the suffering caused by fire, floods and other great national calamities, and industrial homes, and any benevolent or charitable corporation owning or maintaining an institution for medical research, public baths, for free school societies or free circulating libraries or veteran firemen's associations, and any social settlement, whether incorporated or unincorporated, which shall
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13335-02-9
S. 6637 2
own or lease for a term not less than three years a building or buildings devoted exclusively to the purposes of such social settlement work or any religious society owning or leasing for a period of not less than three years a building devoted exclusively to social settlement work, now existing or hereafter established in the city of New York, or the real estate owned by any religious corporation located in the city of New York as now constituted, actually dedicated and used by such corporation exclusively as a place of public worship, or the real estate used exclusively for education through and including the twelfth grade which is owned by any corporation or association entitled to exemption under the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section four hundred twenty-a of the real property tax law, or the real estate owned by an association of honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, or marines, devoted exclusively to patriotic and charitable purposes, are hereby exempted from the payment of any sum of money whatever to said city, for the use of water taken by same from said city, and water shall be supplied to the same by said city, in sufficient quantity for all purposes for which it is now used by said corporations, societies and institutions, or which may be necessary to be used by the same, free of all charge whatsoever, and the real estate necessarily used for any hospital, dispensary, institution for medical research, orphan asylum, registered volunteer ambulance corps, home for the aged, free school or free circulating library, veteran firemen's association, house or home for reformation, protection or shelter of females, day nurseries or corporations or societies for the care and instruction of poor babies and needy children, or any corporation which was created by an act of the congress of the United States to be non-profit and without capital stock and organized exclusively for the purpose of furnishing volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war and to continue and carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and to mitigate the suffering caused by fire, floods and other great national calamities, or industrial homes, or social settlements maintained or conducted by any incorporated or unincorporated social settlement, church or religious society, or occupied for such public bath, owned or leased for a term of not less than three years, or held under any renewal or extension of such lease by any such corporation, societies and institutions aforesaid, or the real estate owned by any religious corporation located in the city of New York, as now constituted, actually dedicated and used by such corporation exclusively as a place of public worship, or the real estate used exclusively for education through and including the twelfth grade which is owned by any corporation or association entitled to exemption under the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section four hundred twenty-a of the real property tax law, or the real estate used exclusively by non-profit housing development fund corporations as defined in subdivision b of this section, is hereby released, discharged and exempted from all lien and charge for water heretofore used or which may hereafter be used by any such institution, society or corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the mayor of the city of New York, by executive order, may provide that such institution, society or corporation shall not be exempt from payment for the use and supply of water, except that such executive order shall apply only with respect to those institutions, societies or corporations who are eligible to receive reimbursement from either the United States, the state of New York, or the city of New York, or any agency thereof, for payments for the use and supply of water.
S. 6637 3
b. As used in subdivision a of this section, the term "non-profit housing development fund corporations" shall mean in a city having a population of one million or more, a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company formed for the purpose of providing housing accommodations for persons with families of low income as defined in section two of the private housing finance law and used for such purpose and organized as a non-profit housing development fund corporation pursuant to article eleven of the private housing finance law.
§ 2. 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 amend chapter 696 of the laws of 1887 relat- ing to providing hospitals, orphan asylums and other charitable insti- tutions in the city of New York with water and remitting assessments therefor, in relation to exempting certain housing development fund corporations from payment for water usage and supply
Purpose
Exempts non-profit housing development fund corporations (HDFC) in New York city from payment for water usage and supply.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 exempts non-profit HDFCs from payment for water usage and supply. It also defines what a non-profit HDFC is in the city on New York.
Existing law
n/a
Justification
While many nonprofit property owners and organizations may have an exemption for real property taxes, they may not have a water usage and supply exemption. Only about half of the properties in the City which are real property tax exempt also are eligible for water usage and supply exemptions.
In New York City, the taxes on water usage and supply have been a contributing factor in the foreclosure of many Housing Development Fund Corporations. Alleviating them from this burden will allow the HDFC'S to thrive and continue being an asset to the public.
Legislative history
None, new bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.