April is Fair Housing Month. The month also commemorates the signing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, and familial status. There is still much work to be done in fulfilling the goals of the Fair Housing Act and this year the theme of Fair Housing Month is “The ‘Act’ in Action.” With that theme in mind and on a separate but not unrelated note, I wanted to highlight legislation that I sponsor that seeks to increase the supply of affordable and quality housing for all.
A.9325/S.8591 Establishes the rental improvement fund pilot program to provide capital grants to small landlords to renovate rental units in certain cities

This bill establishes a pilot program to provide funding to small landlords who have been vetted by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR)to make improvements to their rental properties. The small landlords are subject to requirements and conditions set by DHCR and DHCR will establish eligibility requirements. Small landlords who receive funding must keep their rents at a reasonable rate for at least ten years. Bringing up to 4,000 homes up to code and to the market would go a long way toward addressing the housing crisis in Upstate New York. In addition to improving property values for landlords and improving housing quality for tenants, this would also be a long-term benefit to municipalities in the form of increased property taxes. Improving the quality of the housing stock will make regions more desirable to live in. Landlords selected to receive grant money would be required to keep their rents at an affordable rate as determined by DHCR. This is crucial to ensure that rents do not rise dramatically.

(Bill number pending in Assembly)/S.8940 – Establishes the shovel-ready housing program

This bill aims to make the process easier and more attainable by allowing municipalities to pre-authorize parcels of property for construction that fit the needs of their community such as small starter homes, three-bedroom apartments for families, or condos for seniors. To qualify, a municipality would have to apply and be certified by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal into a “Shovel Ready Housing Program”.

Municipalities who opt in would be eligible for grants in an amount equal to double their CHIPS (consolidated local street and highway improvement program) funding. The grants could then be used for infrastructure purposes including things such as roads, bridges, water, wastewater, power generation and broadband.