S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8020
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 22, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on People with Disabilities
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to creating a  pilot
   program  to  improve  equity and efficiency in housing for people with
   developmental disabilities

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 13.44 to read as follows:
 §  13.44 SHARED HOUSING PILOT PROGRAM.
   1. THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SHALL  ESTAB-
 LISH  A  PILOT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
 HAS EXPERIENCE PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS
 WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. SUCH PILOT PROGRAM SHALL EXPLORE ALTERNA-
 TIVE HOUSING MODELS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND  DEVELOPMENTAL
 DISABILITIES.    SPECIFICALLY,  SUCH  PILOT  SHALL WORK WITH THE PARTNER
 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE SHARED RESIDENTIAL HOUSING FOR  UP  TO
 FOUR INDIVIDUALS PER UNIT, SUPPORTED BY DEDICATED STAFF.
   2.  UNDER THE PILOT PROGRAM, THE FUNDING ALLOTTED PER INDIVIDUAL SHALL
 NOT BE DECREASED BY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT DUE TO THE  SHARED  RESIDENTIAL
 UNIT.    THE PILOT PROGRAM SHALL SERVE TO BALANCE EQUITABLE FUNDING WITH
 INCENTIVIZING SHARED SPACES IN ORDER TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY FOR  RESIDENTS
 AND TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY BY REDUCING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS FUNDED.
   3.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PILOT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY THIS SECTION,
 THE OFFICE MAY WAIVE OR ALTER CERTAIN HOUSING  REQUIREMENTS,  AS  NECES-
 SARY,  TO  ACHIEVE  THE  GOALS  OF  THE PILOT PROGRAM, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO FUNDING ALLOTMENTS BASED ON RESIDENTS PER  UNIT  PURSUANT  TO
 SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   4.  WHILE  THE  PARTNER  NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION MAY CONDUCT DAY-TO-DAY
 OPERATIONS OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS, THE OFFICE SHALL  OVERSEE  AND  MONITOR
 RESIDENTIAL  UNITS  ESTABLISHED  THROUGH  THE  PILOT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11656-01-5
              

 A. 8020                             2
 
 ENSURE THE WELFARE OF ITS RESIDENTS AND TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
 THIS MODEL, INCLUDING THE IMPACT ON RESIDENT WELL-BEING, COST-EFFECTIVE-
 NESS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY.
   5. THE OFFICE SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY
 PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE  AND  THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY THREE YEARS
 AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. THE OFFICE  MAY  RECOMMEND
 REGULATORY CHANGES BASED ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.