S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  9205

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 3, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. MILLMAN, V. LOPEZ -- read once and referred to
  the Committee on Aging

AN ACT to amend the real property tax  law,  in  relation  to  outreach,
  status and time limits relating to the tax abatement program for rent-
  controlled  and rent-regulated property occupied by senior citizens or
  persons with disabilities

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Section  467-b of the real property tax law is amended by
adding three new subdivisions 10, 11 and 12 to read as follows:
  10. AN ENTITY THAT ADMINISTERS THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM  PURSUANT  TO
THIS  SECTION  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  AND  ADMINISTER A PROGRAM THAT DEVELOPS
OUTREACH INITIATIVES TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WHO  MEET  THE  ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA  FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM WHO ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE
PROGRAM AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING THE  TAX  ABATE-
MENT  PROGRAM.    SUCH  OUTREACH  PROGRAM  MAY INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE
LIMITED TO,  MAILINGS,  ADVERTISEMENTS,  PUBLIC  SERVICE  ANNOUNCEMENTS,
LITERATURE  DISSEMINATION,  INTERNET TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MEDIA, COMMUNITY
OUTREACH, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL ENTITIES  AND  AGENCIES.
AN  ENTITY  THAT  ADMINISTERS THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM MAY CONSULT WITH
ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY DEEMED  PERTINENT  TO  DEVELOP  THE  OUTREACH
INITIATIVE.
  11. ANY MUNICIPALITY THAT ADOPTS A LOCAL LAW, RESOLUTION, OR ORDINANCE
PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO
ALLOW APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS TO ASCERTAIN THE  STATUS  OF  ANY  TAX
ABATEMENT  OR  THE STATUS OF ANY FORM THAT HAS BEEN FILED BY SUCH APPLI-
CANT OR PARTICIPANT ON THE APPLICANT OR PARTICIPANT'S BEHALF PURSUANT TO
THIS SECTION. SUCH PROGRAM  SHALL  INCLUDE  PROVISIONS  TO  ENSURE  THAT
APPLICANTS  AND  PARTICIPANTS WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH, WHO
MAY HAVE COMMUNICATION RESTRICTIONS DUE TO PARTIAL OR  TOTAL  BLINDNESS,
DEAFNESS,  SPEECH  IMPEDIMENT,  OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AND/OR WHO LACK
ACCESS TO THE INTERNET MAY ASCERTAIN SUCH STATUS.
  12. A. WITHIN THREE  DAYS  OF  RECEIVING  ANY  FORM  FOR  APPLICATION,
RENEWAL,  OR  ADJUSTMENT  OF  ABATEMENT FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, A

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD14358-01-2

A. 9205                             2

LETTER ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF SUCH FORM SHALL BE SENT  TO  THE  APPLI-
CANT. SUCH LETTER SHALL INCLUDE THE DATE THE FORM WAS RECEIVED.
  B.  WITHIN  THIRTY  DAYS  OF  THE RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION OR RENEWAL
APPLICATION FROM AN APPLICANT,  THE  ENTITY  THAT  ADMINISTERS  THE  TAX
ABATEMENT  PROGRAM  SHALL APPROVE THE APPLICATION OR RENEWAL APPLICATION
FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, DENY THE APPLICATION OR RENEWAL  APPLICA-
TION  FOR  THE  TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, OR REQUEST FURTHER INFORMATION OR
DOCUMENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT. IF  A  REQUEST  IS  MADE  FOR  FURTHER
INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTATION, THE ENTITY THAT ADMINISTERS THE TAX ABATE-
MENT  PROGRAM SHALL HAVE FIFTEEN DAYS AFTER SUCH INFORMATION OR DOCUMEN-
TATION REQUESTED IS RECEIVED BY THE ENTITY TO EITHER APPROVE OR DENY THE
APPLICATION OR RENEWAL APPLICATION.
  C. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF ANY FORM OTHER THAN AN APPLICATION OR RENEWAL
APPLICATION FORM FROM AN APPLICANT,  THE  ENTITY  THAT  ADMINISTERS  THE
PROGRAM SHALL ACT ON SUCH FORM.
  D.  WITHIN  THREE  DAYS  OF  APPROVING  OR REJECTING AN APPLICATION OR
RENEWAL APPLICATION PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  B  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION  OR
ACTING  UPON ANY OTHER FORM PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH C OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
A WRITTEN NOTIFICATION SHALL BE SENT TO THE  INDIVIDUAL  WHO  MADE  SUCH
APPLICATION  OR  RENEWAL  APPLICATION  OR  SENT  SUCH FORM. SUCH WRITTEN
NOTIFICATION SHALL INCLUDE THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE ENTITY  ADMINISTERING
THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, THE DATE SUCH ACTION WAS TAKEN, WHAT RECOURSE
IS AVAILABLE SHOULD THE INDIVIDUAL BE DISSATISFIED WITH SUCH ACTION, AND
HOW TO PURSUE THE RECOURSE AVAILABLE.
  S  2.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
the amendments to section 467-b of the real property  tax  law  made  by
section  one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such section
and shall be deemed to expire therewith.