NY State Senate Bill 2017-S8947

Senate Bill S8947

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to creating the Hurricane Maria temporary housing assistance program

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 07, 2018	referred to rules

2017-S8947 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A11201
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 2-A Title 3 §§47 & 47-a, Soc Serv L

2017-S8947 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to creating the Hurricane Maria temporary housing assistance program to provide individuals affected by Hurricane Maria with funding to cover a security deposit and first month's rent for new housing.

2017-S8947 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8947

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to creating the Hurricane Maria temporary housing assistance program;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would establish the Hurricane Maria Temporary Housing Assist-
ance Program

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Authorizes local social service agencies to assist families and individ-
uals currently receiving housing assistance under FEMA's Temporary Shel-
ter Assistance (TSA) to qualify for emergency housing deposit and one
month rental assistance.

The legislation should require that the security deposit is returned to
local social service agency, and that the one month rental coverage can

be recovered through withholding of tax returns filed in 2019 and 2020.

50% of the one month rental deducted in the 2019 NYS tax return and 50%
in the 2020 NYS tax return.

This act shall apply to TSA program enrollees impacted by Hurricane
Maria and shall stay in effect for 60 days after TSA is scheduled to end
the program on June 30th 2018.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The proposed initiative will authorize county social service districts
to provide emergency rental and rent deposit assistance to any current
Puerto Rican receiving FEMA assistance under its Transitional Shelter
Assistance (TSA). The FEMA program ends next month and will force into
the streets more than 9,000 island evacuees currently living in hotels
throughout New York. Most do not have the financial ability to pay for a
rental deposit and one-month rent required by property owners.

Uncertainty in Washington continues to plague the lives of thousands of
Puertorriquenos and complicate relief efforts. Americans are being told
they can't stay, while the administration outright refuses or strangles
in red tape the rebuilding of their homes. The situation in Puerto Rico
is far from resolved. People are vulnerable. A measured response is more
than basic human decency, it's a moral imperative to help.

These families and individuals are having a tremendous problem finding
permanent housing because of their status as new arrivals into our
communities, and are having an even harder time paying the rental depos-
its required by landlords. This proposal will allow for local counties
to provide that deposit and one month of housing assistance.  The secu-
rity deposit will be recouped through a deduction from their New York
State tax return over a two-year period.

Following the devastation left by Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto
Rican families and individuals have been displaced and are now living
throughout New York State. However, as many await to return to their
communities back home, they are having problems finding an affordable
place to rent. Those who find a place encounter difficulty to keep their
home because they can't pay rental deposits that landlords demand. The
proposal to authorize county social services to offer emergency rental
assistance to Puerto Ricans receiving FEMA assistance through its Tran-
sitional Shelter Assistance is common-sense, since the FEMA program ends
next month. Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans are having a very hard time,
and we need to ensure we provide them with assistance so they can get
back on their feet.

New York must step in and assist the Puerto Rican people in this tremen-
dous time of need. We cannot stand by while 2,300 families risk losing
the emergency housing they so desperately need.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal because of the repayment program it establishes

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate and shall expire and be deemed repealed August 29, 2018.

2017-S8947 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8947
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 7, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the social services law, in relation to creating the
   Hurricane Maria temporary housing assistance  program;  and  providing
   for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Article 2-A of the social services law is amended by adding
 a new title 3 to read as follows:
                                  TITLE 3
           HURRICANE MARIA TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
 SECTION 47. ESTABLISHMENT; DEFINITIONS.
         47-A. APPLICATION.
   § 47. ESTABLISHMENT; DEFINITIONS. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED UNDER
 THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMISSIONER  THE  HURRICANE  MARIA  TEMPORARY
 HOUSING  ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH SHALL ASSIST QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN
 RECEIVING AN EMERGENCY HOUSING DEPOSIT AND ONE  MONTH'S  RENTAL  ASSIST-
 ANCE.
   2. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS TITLE:
   (I)  "QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL" SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING ASSIST-
 ANCE UNDER THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY'S TRANSITIONAL  SHEL-
 TERING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE MARIA;
   (II)  "FUNDING"  SHALL  MEAN  A  SECURITY  DEPOSIT  UP TO ONE THOUSAND
 DOLLARS AND ONE MONTH'S RENT UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; AND
   (III) "QUALIFIED RESIDENCE" SHALL  MEAN  HOUSING  LOCATED  WITHIN  THE
 STATE OF NEW YORK WITH A RENT OBLIGATION OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS OR LESS
 PER MONTH.
   §  47-A.  APPLICATION.  1.  A  QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL LOCATED WITHIN THE
 STATE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING  FOR  A  QUALIFIED  RESIDENCE
 FROM  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH QUALIFIED RESI-
 DENCE IS LOCATED.
   2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF RECEIPT OF SUCH FUNDING, SUCH QUALIFIED INDIVID-
 UAL SHALL REIMBURSE SUCH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT FOR THE COST  OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15990-01-8

 S. 8947                             2
 
 THE  SECURITY DEPOSIT PROVIDED TO SUCH QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL UNDER SUBDI-
 VISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE TO FACILITATE THE REIMBURSE-
 MENT  OF  THE  ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
 SECTION. SUCH REIMBURSEMENT SHALL BE DIVIDED IN HALF AND COLLECTED  FROM
 THE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL IN THEIR TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN AND TWO THOUSAND
 TWENTY TAX RETURNS, WITH HALF COLLECTED IN TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN AND THE
 REMAINING HALF COLLECTED IN TWO THOUSAND TWENTY.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed August 29, 2018.

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