S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4446
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. KAVANAGH, S. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the social services law, in relation to enacting the
   "shelter arrears eviction  forestallment  act"  to  provide  emergency
   assistance for rent arrears for the prevention of eviction

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "shelter arrears eviction forestallment act".
   § 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 131-cc
 to read as follows:
   § 131-CC. SHELTER ARREARS EVICTION FORESTALLMENT PROGRAM. 1. (A) WITH-
 IN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY
 ASSISTANCE  SHALL  ESTABLISH  THE SHELTER ARREARS EVICTION FORESTALLMENT
 PROGRAM TO  PROVIDE  EMERGENCY  ASSISTANCE  FOR  RENT  ARREARS  FOR  THE
 PREVENTION  OF  EVICTION DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF RENT. FUNDS SHALL BE ALLO-
 CATED TO SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS WITH A POPULATION OF FIVE MILLION  OR
 FEWER,  FOR SERVICES AND EXPENSES RELATED TO THE PAYMENT OF RENT ARREARS
 NECESSARY TO RETAIN HOUSING AND TO HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE IN RECEIPT OF  OR
 WHO  WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR ONGOING OR EMERGENCY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PURSU-
 ANT TO SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-A OF THIS TITLE BUT HAVE EXHAUSTED
 THE ALLOWABLE FREQUENCY OF SUCH PAYMENTS THROUGH  THE  EMERGENCY  SAFETY
 NET  ASSISTANCE  OR  EMERGENCY  ASSISTANCE  TO FAMILIES PROGRAMS.   EACH
 SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT TO WHICH FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION  SHALL  USE  BEST EFFORTS TO MAKE SUCH FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HOUSE-
 HOLDS FOR THE PURPOSES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION.
   (B) THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE  SHALL  ALLOCATE
 FUNDING  TO  SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS WITH A POPULATION OF FIVE MILLION
 OR FEWER, WITH A METHODOLOGY THAT SHALL CONSIDER THE  RATE  OF  EVICTION
 FILINGS  AND  OTHER  INDICATORS  OF  NEED AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE OF
 TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08817-02-5
              

 S. 4446                             2
 
   (C) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH RULES FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  THE
 PROGRAM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I)  REQUIRING  PAYMENTS  SHALL  NOT  EXCEED  A TOTAL OF SIX MONTHS OF
 ARREARS IN ADDITION TO PAYMENTS PREVIOUSLY MADE  THROUGH  THE  EMERGENCY
 SAFETY NET ASSISTANCE OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES PROGRAMS;
   (II)  PROVIDING THAT SUCH PAYMENTS SHALL NOT BE LIMITED BY THE SHELTER
 ALLOWANCE AMOUNT SET FORTH IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-A  OF  THIS
 TITLE  AND  SHALL  NOT  BE PART OF THE STANDARD OF NEED PURSUANT TO SUCH
 SECTION;
   (III) PROVIDING THAT FUNDING ALLOCATED TO  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICTS
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL NOT REPLACE OR REDUCE ANY OTHER EMERGENCY
 ASSISTANCE ALLOCATIONS SUCH DISTRICTS WOULD OTHERWISE RECEIVE; AND
   (IV)  REQUIRING  PROGRAM  PAYMENTS BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD OR
 PROPERTY OWNER ON BEHALF OF A TENANT. TENANTS,  LANDLORDS  AND  PROPERTY
 MANAGERS SHALL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER THE PROGRAM.
   2.  IN  A  FORM  AND  MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND
 DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS WITH  A  POPULATION  OF
 FIVE  MILLION OR FEWER SHALL SUBMIT ANNUAL REPORTS TO THE OFFICE INCLUD-
 ING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
   (A) THE CRITERIA USED BY SUCH SOCIAL SERVICES  DISTRICT  TO  DETERMINE
 PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY;
   (B) THE DOLLAR VALUE OF ARREARS ISSUED UNDER THE PROGRAM; AND
   (C)  BASIC  DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON THE HOUSEHOLDS SERVED INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE:
   (I) NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED;
   (II) NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED FOR MULTIPLE PERIODS;
   (III) NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH AND WITHOUT CHILDREN;
   (IV) NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH AN OPEN  PUBLIC  ASSIST-
 ANCE (PA) CASE;
   (V) AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE PRIMARY TENANT;
   (VI) DISTRIBUTION OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN;
   (VII) DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL PAYMENT AMOUNT; AND
   (VIII) DISTRIBUTION OF RACE AND ETHNICITY.
   3.  THE  OFFICE  OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL SUBMIT A
 REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,  AND  THE
 SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY BY THE THIRTY-FIRST OF DECEMBER OF EACH YEAR.
 SUCH REPORT SHALL COVER THE TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD ENDING ON THE  THIRTIETH
 OF  SEPTEMBER IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE THE REPORT IS DUE AND SHALL
 INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO  THE  INFORMATION  SUBMITTED  PURSUANT  TO
 SUBDIVISION  TWO OF THIS SECTION, IN THE AGGREGATE FOR THE STATE AND FOR
 EACH COUNTY.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.