BILL NUMBER: S2952

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to expanding
eligibility for tax abatement for rent-controlled and rent regulated
property occupied by persons with disabilities

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Provides that individuals who do not meet the non-medical qualifications
for Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI) or Supplemental
Security Income Program (SSI) can qualify as a person with a disability
for the purposes of being eligible for the Disability Rent Increase
Exemption (DRIE) Program.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends paragraph a of Subdivision 5 of Section
467-b of the Real Property Tax Law, relating to tax abatement for rent-
controlled and rent-stabilized property occupied by senior citizens or
              

persons with disabilities, to include proof of appropriate certification
for purposes of qualifying for the Disability Rent Increase Exemption
(DRIE) program.

This section provides that upon certification from an individual that
they do not meet the nonmedical qualifications for the Social Security
Disability Insurance Program (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income
Program (SSI), but because of their disability are not able to engage in
substantially gainful activity and upon certification from an individ-
ual's healthcare provider that the individual has a disability which
prevents them from engaging in substantial gainful activity, they shall
also qualify for the DRIE program.

Section 2 provides for the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Established in 2005, the New York City Disability Rent Increase
Exemption (DRIE) Program has assisted and continues to assist an esti-
mated 11,600 disabled New York City (NYC) residents. The program offers
tax abatement to landlords to pay the difference in the rent increase,
which removes the escalating rent burden for the disabled tenant.

At a time of record homelessness in NYC, helping people stay in their
homes is arguably the most cost-effective and humane solution available.
The DRIE program has proven to be successful in keeping people in their
homes, especially in a city with rising costs and a high rent burden on
households. Yet, this option is not available to all New Yorkers with a
disability. Currently, many individuals who are disabled do not qualify
for this program because the law requires a person to have a supple-
mental security income (SSI) or social security disability insurance
(SSDI), which is not available to all New York residents.

This bill would allow individuals who do not meet the current DRIE
criteria to now qualify for the program upon providing certification
from the individual and their healthcare provider that said individual

has a disability that prevents them from engaging in substantially gain-
ful activity.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined, however New York City currently spends $25 million on
the DRIE program which covers 11,639 households in Fiscal Year 2020.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-2022: S6260 / A7452 Gonzlaez-Rojas

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.