S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6880--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 22, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. DICKENS, PEOPLES-STOKES, D'URSO, ORTIZ, MORINELLO
   --  Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. HOOPER -- read once and referred to
   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- recommitted to the Committee  on
   Ways and Means in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to disabled
   veteran access to home for heroes contracts
 
   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 29 to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE XXIX
                NEW YORK ACCESS TO HOME FOR HEROES PROGRAM
 SECTION 1260. STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
         1261. DEFINITIONS.
         1262. ACCESS TO HOME FOR HEROES CONTRACTS.
   § 1260. STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. THE LEGISLATURE
 HEREBY  FINDS AND DECLARES THAT MANY DISABLED VETERANS IN NEW YORK STATE
 FACE A SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENT TO ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS  A
 RESULT  OF SERVICE RELATED INJURIES, AGE OR HEALTH RELATED DISABILITIES.
 THESE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND  STATE  WITH  HONOR  AND
 DISTINCTION  AND  DESERVE TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE, SOCIAL INTER-
 ACTION AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION. PROVIDING  FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE  WITH
 THE  COST  OF  ADAPTING  THE DWELLING UNITS OF OUR DISABLED VETERANS, IS
 FUNDAMENTAL TO PROVIDING FOR THE PROMISE OF LIVING  SAFELY,  COMFORTABLY
 AND PRODUCTIVELY IN THE MOST INTEGRATED SETTING OF THEIR CHOICE.
   § 1261. 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.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09257-05-8
              

 A. 6880--A                          2
 
   2. "ELIGIBLE APPLICANT" SHALL MEAN A CITY, TOWN, VILLAGE  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,  INCORPORATED
 UNDER  THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION LAW AND HAS SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE
 IN ADAPTING OR RETROFITTING HOMES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
   3. "VETERAN" SHALL MEAN A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE WHO (A) HAS SERVED ON
 ACTIVE  DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AIR FORCE OR
 COAST GUARD OR (B) HAS SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY OR ORDERED TO  ACTIVE  DUTY
 AS  DEFINED  IN  10  USC 101 (D)(1) AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OR
 OTHER RESERVE COMPONENT OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OR  (C)
 HAS  SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY OR ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR THE STATE, AS A
 MEMBER OF THE STATE ORGANIZED MILITIA AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION NINE  OF
 SECTION  ONE OF THE MILITARY LAW AND HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE
 DOCUMENTED BY AN HONORABLE OR GENERAL DISCHARGE.
   4. "DISABLED VETERAN" SHALL MEAN A VETERAN WHO  IS  CERTIFIED  BY  THE
 UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DOCUMENTED BY A LETTER OF
 CERTIFICATION OR THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CERTIFICATE  OF
 RELEASE OR DISCHARGE FROM ACTIVE DUTY, INCLUDING BUT LIMITED TO A DD-214
 FORM OR AN HONORABLE CERTIFICATE/REPORT OF CASUALTY.
   5.  "ACCESS  TO  HOME  FOR HEROES PROGRAMS" OR "PROGRAMS" SHALL MEAN A
 SERIES OF ACTIVITIES BY AN ELIGIBLE APPLICANT  TO  ADMINISTER  FUNDS  TO
 PROVIDE  GRANTS  TO HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS AND TO OVERSEE THE ADAPTATION
 OR RETROFITTING OF ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES.
   6. "ELIGIBLE PROPERTY" SHALL MEAN A HOUSING UNIT THAT IS  THE  PRIMARY
 RESIDENCE  OF  A DISABLED VETERAN AND A TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT DOES
 NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. A PROP-
 ERTY SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED AN ELIGIBLE PROPERTY IF THE  OWNER  OF  THE
 PROPERTY  IS  OTHERWISE  OBLIGATED  BY  FEDERAL,  STATE  OR LOCAL LAW TO
 PROVIDE THE IMPROVEMENTS FUNDED UNDER THIS ARTICLE.
   § 1262. ACCESS TO HOME FOR HEROES CONTRACTS. 1. WITHIN  THE  LIMIT  OF
 FUNDS  AVAILABLE  IN  THE  ACCESS TO HOME FOR HEROES PROGRAM, THE CORPO-
 RATION IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH ELIGIBLE APPLI-
 CANTS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE ACTUAL COSTS OF AN  ACCESS
 TO  HOME  FOR  HEROES  PROGRAM. THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SHALL BE IN THE
 FORM OF GRANTS. NO MORE THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL  AMOUNT  AWARDED
 PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE IN ANY FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO ACCESS
 TO HOME PROGRAMS LOCATED WITHIN ANY SINGLE MUNICIPALITY.
   2.  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.
   3. THE CORPORATION MAY AUTHORIZE THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT TO SPEND UP TO
 SEVEN AND ONE-HALF PERCENT OF THE CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR APPROVED  ADMINIS-
 TRATIVE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM.
   4.  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  REQUIRE  THAT,  IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDS
 PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE, THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT  SHALL  SUBMIT  A  PLAN
 WHICH  SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PROGRAM FEASIBILITY, IMPACT
 ON THE COMMUNITY, BUDGET FOR EXPENDITURE OF PROGRAM  FUNDS,  A  SCHEDULE
 FOR  COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND MINORITY BUSINESS
 PARTICIPATION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.