S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                 7828--A
    Cal. No. 1360

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 12, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  LITTLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
  Community  Development  --  reported  favorably  from  said committee,
  ordered to first and  second  report,  ordered  to  a  third  reading,
  amended  and  ordered  reprinted,  retaining its place in the order of
  third reading

AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to residen-
  tial emergency services to offer home repairs to the elderly program

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

  Section  1. The private housing finance law is amended by adding a new
article 28 to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 28
         RESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OFFER HOME REPAIRS TO
                           THE ELDERLY PROGRAM
SECTION 1233. STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
        1234. DEFINITIONS.
        1235. RESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OFFER  HOME  REPAIRS  TO
                THE ELDERLY CONTRACTS.
  S 1233. STATEMENT  OF  LEGISLATIVE  FINDINGS.  THE  LEGISLATURE HEREBY
FINDS AND DECLARES THAT THERE EXISTS IN NEW YORK STATE A NEED FOR FINAN-
CIAL RESOURCES TO ASSIST SENIOR CITIZEN  HOMEOWNERS  WITH  THE  COST  OF
ADDRESSING  EMERGENCIES  AND CODE VIOLATIONS THAT POSE A THREAT TO THEIR
HEALTH AND SAFETY, OR AFFECTING THE LIVABILITY OF THEIR HOME.  PROVIDING
ASSISTANCE FOR THE COST OF MAKING SUCH CRITICAL REPAIRS WILL ENABLE MANY
SENIORS TO CONTINUE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
  S 1234. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE:
  1.  "CORPORATION" SHALL MEAN THE HOUSING TRUST FUND CORPORATION ESTAB-
LISHED IN SECTION FORTY-FIVE-A OF THIS CHAPTER.
  2. "ELIGIBLE APPLICANT" SHALL MEAN A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR  NOT-
FOR-PROFIT  CORPORATION  IN  EXISTENCE FOR A PERIOD OF ONE OR MORE YEARS
PRIOR TO APPLICATION, WHICH IS, OR WILL BE AT THE TIME OF AWARD,  INCOR-
PORATED  UNDER  THE  NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION LAW AND HAS BEEN ENGAGED
PRIMARILY IN HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15469-02-6

S. 7828--A                          2

  3. "RESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OFFER HOME REPAIRS TO THE ELDER-
LY PROGRAMS" SHALL MEAN A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES BY AN ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT
TO  ADMINISTER  FUNDS  TO  PROVIDE  EITHER LOANS OR GRANTS TO HOMEOWNERS
SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF  LESS  THAN  ONE
HUNDRED  PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, TO OVERSEE THE ADAPTATION OR
RETROFITTING OF ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES.
  4. "ELIGIBLE PROPERTY" SHALL MEAN A HOUSING UNIT THAT IS  THE  PRIMARY
RESIDENCE  OF  A  PERSON  THAT IS SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND HAVE A
HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT DOES NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED PERCENT  OF  THE  AREA
MEDIAN INCOME.
  S 1235. RESIDENTIAL  EMERGENCY  SERVICES  TO OFFER HOME REPAIRS TO THE
ELDERLY CONTRACTS. 1. WITHIN THE LIMIT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE IN  THE  RESI-
DENTIAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OFFER HOME REPAIRS TO THE ELDERLY PROGRAM,
THE CORPORATION IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH ELIGI-
BLE APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE ACTUAL COSTS OF A
RESIDENTIAL  EMERGENCY  SERVICES  TO  OFFER  HOME REPAIRS TO THE ELDERLY
PROGRAM. THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SHALL BE EITHER IN THE FORM OF  GRANTS
OR  LOANS,  AS  THE  CORPORATION SHALL DETERMINE. FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR
ONE- TO FOUR-UNIT DWELLINGS THAT ARE  OWNED  AND  OCCUPIED  BY  ELIGIBLE
HOUSEHOLDS,  AND  WORK UNDERTAKEN CANNOT EXCEED TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER
BUILDING.  NO MORE THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED PURSU-
ANT TO THIS ARTICLE IN ANY FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO  ANY  RESI-
DENTIAL  EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OFFER HOME REPAIRS TO THE ELDERLY PROGRAM
LOCATED WITHIN ANY SINGLE MUNICIPALITY.
  2. FROM THE DATE OF THE EMERGENCY REFERRAL, THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT HAS
SEVENTY-TWO HOURS TO RESPOND AND INSPECT THE ELIGIBLE PROPERTY; FROM THE
DATE OF THE INSPECTION AND ASSESSMENT  OF  EMERGENCY  REPAIR  NEED,  THE
ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT  MUST  START THE REPAIRS WITHIN SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS;
ALL REPAIRS MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN THIRTY CALENDAR DAYS OF  THE  START
OF THE REPAIRS; OR AS OTHERWISE DETERMINED BY THE CORPORATION.
  3.  THE  TOTAL  PAYMENT  PURSUANT TO ANY ONE CONTRACT SHALL NOT EXCEED
FIVE HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  AND  THE  CONTRACT  SHALL  PROVIDE  FOR
COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD, AS SPECIFIED THER-
EIN,  WHICH SHALL NOT IN ANY EVENT EXCEED THREE YEARS FROM ITS COMMENCE-
MENT. UPON REQUEST, THE CORPORATION MAY EXTEND THE TERM OF THE  CONTRACT
FOR  UP  TO  TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR PERIODS FOR GOOD CAUSE SHOWN BY THE
ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.
  4. THE CORPORATION SHALL AUTHORIZE THE  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT  TO  SPEND
SEVEN  AND ONE-HALF PERCENT OF THE CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR APPROVED PLANNING
AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal  of  any  rule  or  regulation
necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized and directed to be made  and  completed  on  or  before  such
effective date.