S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7612
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 23, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- 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  establishing  a
   statewide co-shelter toolkit
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and  intent.  The  legislature  hereby
 finds  there is a statewide need for sheltered housing that accommodates
 companion animals for victims of domestic violence and people experienc-
 ing homelessness. Victims of domestic violence  historically  remain  in
 abusive  situations  to  curtail  abuse  against their companion animal,
 placing an additional burden on individuals already in a  dangerous  and
 taxing  situation. Results from a survey conducted by the Urban Resource
 Institute yielded that 48% of respondents were fearful of abusers  harm-
 ing  their companion animals and 50% indicated they would not seek shel-
 ter for themselves if their companion animal could not be  accommodated.
 While housing providers may currently impose no-pet policies for legiti-
 mate  concerns  related  to health, safety and cost there are successful
 models across the nation that can  be  replicated.  It  is  thereby  the
 intent  of  the  legislature  to  produce a co-shelter toolkit to assist
 housing providers in creating, implementing and sustaining co-sheltering
 models to fill this critical gap and service those in need in  New  York
 state.
   § 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 459-bb
 to read as follows:
   § 459-BB. STATEWIDE CO-SHELTER TOOLKIT. 1. THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND
 DISABILITY   ASSISTANCE,   IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  OFFICE  FOR  THE
 PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SHALL ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE TOOLKIT
 INCLUSIVE OF BEST PRACTICES, RESOURCES, CASE STUDIES AND OTHER  INFORMA-
 TION  DEEMED  HELPFUL  TO  INFORM  AND  ENCOURAGE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
 SUSTENANCE OF CO-SHELTER MODELS. SUCH  TOOLKIT  SHALL  SUPPORT  NEW  AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02506-01-5
              

 S. 7612                             2
 
 EXISTING  EFFORTS BY HOUSING PROVIDERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND MUNICIPALITIES
 TO REDUCE EXISTING SHELTERED HOUSING BARRIERS FOR  VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH COMPANION ANIMALS.
   2.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, CO-SHELTERING SHALL MEAN HOUSING
 PEOPLE AND COMPANION ANIMALS TOGETHER.
   3. SUCH CO-SHELTER TOOLKIT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE  LIMITED  TO  THE
 FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:
   (A)  INTRODUCTORY  INFORMATION  ON  HOMELESSNESS  AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INVOLVING COMPANION ANIMALS;
   (B) PARTNERSHIP AND  COALITION  BUILDING  WITH  VETERINARIANS,  ANIMAL
 WELFARE  ORGANIZATIONS, HOUSING PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ANY OTHER
 ORGANIZATION DEEMED HELPFUL TO CO-SHELTER IMPLEMENTATION  AND  SUSTAINED
 OPERATIONS;
   (C)  SYSTEMS-LEVEL  RESPONSE  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  DATA
 COLLECTION,  COORDINATED  ENTRY,  OUTREACH,  PREVENTION  AND  DIVERSION,
 INTERIM AND PERMANENT HOUSING;
   (D)  PROGRAM  RESPONSE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOW BARRIER PET-
 INCLUSIVE POLICIES, HOUSING DESIGN, AND ANIMAL HEALTH AND SUPPLY NEEDS;
   (E) WORKER RESPONSE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, TRAINING IN  ANIMAL
 BEHAVIOR, HYGIENE, AND APPLICABLE ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW;
   (F) CASE STUDIES OF EXISTING SUCCESSFUL CO-SHELTER PROGRAMS; AND
   (G) PROSPECTIVE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE FINANCIAL COSTS.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY SERVICES SHALL CONSULT
 APPLICABLE  HOUSING  PROVIDERS,  NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, VETERINARIANS
 AND ANY OTHER AGENCY THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUIDE TO  PROVIDE
 EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS.
   5.  THE  CO-SHELTER  TOOLKIT  SHALL  BE  MADE  ACCESSIBLE VIA MULTIPLE
 FORMATS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, POSTED  ON  THE  WEBSITE,  SOCIAL
 MEDIA  OUTLETS,  AND  NEWSLETTERS.  THE OFFICE SHALL CONDUCT OUTREACH TO
 ENSURE SUCH TOOLKIT IS WIDELY SHARED.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.