What's happening
This bill requires New York's Division of Human Rights to create a statement on housing discrimination to accompany all housing assistance forms.
Why it matters
Raises awareness of housing discrimination. By requiring a clear statement outlining illegal practices, the law helps ensure that both tenants and landlords are informed about what constitutes discrimination based on lawful sources of income, such as housing vouchers or public assistance.
Empowers tenants to assert their rights. The mandated statement will include specific examples of discriminatory phrases, actions, and provide contact information for filing complaints, making it easier for voucher holders to recognize and report violations.
Seeks to improve compliance and landlord behavior. By explicitly detailing what landlords and agents cannot do—such as refusing rental assistance, demanding extra payments, or making repairs conditional on payment source—the law aims to deter discriminatory practices and foster more equitable access to housing.
Promotes consistency across agencies. All state and municipal forms of housing assistance must include this statement, ensuring uniform communication and potentially reducing confusion or gaps in anti-discrimination enforcement statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Explain Housing Rights Upfront
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.412
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- 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.
Relates to directing the division of human rights to promulgate a statement regarding housing discrimination that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Harvey Epstein
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6713
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
September 13, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to directing the division of human rights to promulgate a statement regarding housing discrimination that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 295-a to read as follows:
§ 295-a. Additional powers and duties of the division. In addition to the powers and duties otherwise provided by this article, the division shall:
Create and promulgate a statement that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance administered by any state or municipal agency including, but not limited to, the section eight housing choice voucher program, or any other form of housing assistance, payment, or credit regardless of whether or not such assistance or credit is paid or attributed directly to a landlord. Such statement shall, at a minimum, include:
1. examples of different forms of lawful source of income;
2. examples of phrases that may indicate discrimination based on lawful source of income in violation of section two hundred ninety-six of this article;
3. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other housing agents to refuse to accept rental assistance for payment of rent or a security deposit in buildings with six or more units;
4. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other housing agents to request additional payments for rent, a security deposit or broker's fee because an individual receives rental assistance;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13308-02-9
S. 6713 2
5. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other housing agents to publish any type of advertisement that indicates a refusal to accept rental assistance;
6. a statement that it is illegal for landlords to refuse or delay making repairs to an individual's unit because such individual pays rent with rental assistance;
7. a statement that an individual has the right to be free from discriminatory, harassing or threatening behavior or comments based on such individual's receipt of or application for rental assistance;
8. contact information, including phone numbers, for the appropriate agencies and departments at which to make a complaint if the voucher recipient feels that he or she is a victim of source of income discrimination; and
9. any other information deemed appropriate by the commissioner.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. 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 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to directing the division of human rights to promulgate a statement regard- ing housing discrimination that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance
Purpose or general idea of bill
To notify housing assistance recipients of their rights to utilize their vouchers without discrimination and how they may make a complaint if they believe they have been discriminated against.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the executive law by adding a new section 295-a that directs the division of human rights to create a promulgate a statement to be appended to any form of housing assistance administered by any state or municipal agency that informs housing assistance recipients of their rights to use their vouchers and the steps they may take to make a complaint if they believe that they have been the victim of source of income discrimination
Section 2 provides the effective date
Justification
As part of the FY 2019-2020 budget, lawful source of income discrimi- nation has been updated in the human rights law to include housing assistance. Recipients of housing assistance must know that they are protected under law so they can turn to the appropriate agencies to make a complaint if they believe they have been the victim of source of income discrimination.
Property owners who turn away housing assistance recipients the problem of homelessness in our state and undermine the programs that the state administers to provide stable and affordable housing to New Yorkers. With an informed and empowered public, we can hold these bad actors accountable and ensure that New Yorkers are able to make use of programs to house them.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Unknown.
Effective date
90 days after becoming law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.