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

                                   660

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. BRAUNSTEIN, MOSLEY, BENEDETTO, JAFFEE, COLTON,
  MONTESANO, KIM -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAMARA, COOK,  HIKIND
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  administrative code of the city of New York, in
  relation to the filing of deeds containing restrictive covenants

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

  Section  1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended
by adding a new section 27-106 to read as follows:
  S 27-106 REGISTRY OF DEEDS WITH RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS. (A) THE DEPART-
MENT SHALL MAINTAIN A  REGISTRY  OF  ALL  DEEDS  CONTAINING  RESTRICTIVE
CONVENTS  THAT  ARE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT. ANY SUCH FILING SHALL NOT
BE DEEMED AS  ACCEPTABLE  IN  LIEU  OF  ANY  OTHER  FILING  REQUIREMENTS
MANDATED  OR  PERMITTED  UNDER ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, RULE OR REGU-
LATION. A DEED CONTAINING ONE OR MORE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS MAY BE FILED
WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR INCLUSION IN THIS REGISTRY BY ANY OWNER OR HOME-
OWNER ASSOCIATION WHOSE PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO  A  RESTRICTIVE  COVENANT
AND/OR  BY  OR  ON BEHALF OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC ASSOCI-
ATION WHOSE AREA OF GEOGRAPHIC CONCERN, AS SET FORTH IN ITS  CERTIFICATE
OF  INCORPORATION, CHARTER OR OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZING DOCUMENT, ENCOM-
PASSES THE PROPERTY THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF  SUCH  RESTRICTIVE  COVENANT.
THE  FILING  SHALL  BE ACCOMPANIED BY A NOTARIZED REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ACKNOWLEDGING THE AUTHENTICITY OF SUCH DEED. THIS REGISTRY SHALL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.
  (B) PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF ANY PERMIT, EMPLOYEES OF  THE  DEPARTMENT
SHALL  SEARCH  THE  REGISTRY CREATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (A) OF THIS
SECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER ANY DEED LISTED  IN  THIS
REGISTRY CONTAINS ANY RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT WOULD BE VIOLATED BY THE
ISSUANCE  OF  THE  REQUESTED PERMIT OR THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT FOR
WHICH SUCH PERMIT IS SOUGHT. IF A  VIOLATION  OF  ANY  SUCH  RESTRICTIVE

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

                                                           LBD02162-01-5

A. 660                              2

COVENANT  WOULD  OCCUR,  THEN THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT ISSUE SUCH PERMIT
EXCEPT AS AUTHORIZED BY ORDER OF A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION.  ANY
OWNER  OR  HOMEOWNER  ASSOCIATION  WHOSE PROPERTY IS THE SUBJECT OF SUCH
RESTRICTIVE  COVENANT,  OR ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC ASSOCI-
ATION WHOSE AREA OF CONCERN ENCOMPASSES THE PROPERTY THAT IS THE SUBJECT
OF SUCH RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, SHALL BE BARRED  FROM  COLLECTING  DAMAGES
AGAINST  THE  CITY FOR THE FAILURE TO ENFORCE THE RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED
IN SUCH RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IF SUCH RESTRICTIVE COVENANT HAS  NOT  BEEN
FILED  WITH  THE  DEPARTMENT.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE ANY ADDI-
TIONAL RULES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
  (C) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE INTERPRETED TO  LIMIT  OR  REDUCE
THE RIGHTS OF ANY OWNER OR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION WHOSE AREA OF GEOGRAPH-
IC  CONCERN ENCOMPASSES THE PROPERTY THAT IS SUBJECT OF SUCH RESTRICTIVE
COVENANT OR COVENANTS TO INITIATE AND MAINTAIN LEGAL ACTION  TO  ENFORCE
ANY SUCH COVENANT OR COVENANTS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.