Bill Text: NY A02320 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Enacts the "public housing safety and security act"; grants the division of housing and community renewal the authority to issue grants to public housing authorities or agencies for use in improving security in public housing projects; provides eligible activities for such grants; requires periodic safety inspections and an annual report.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to housing [A02320 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A02320-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2320 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 22, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. RODRIGUEZ, CRESPO, MOSLEY, WALKER, PICHARDO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to enacting the "public housing safety and security act of 2019" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a new article 2 12-A to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 12-A 4 PUBLIC HOUSING SAFETY AND SECURITY 5 Section 310. Short title. 6 311. Legislative findings. 7 312. Authority to issue grants. 8 313. Eligible activities. 9 314. Applications. 10 315. Periodic safety inspections. 11 316. Annual report. 12 § 310. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as 13 the "public housing safety and security act of 2019". 14 § 311. Legislative findings. 1. (a) The state has a duty to provide 15 public housing that is decent, safe, secure and free from crime; 16 (b) Those who live in public housing projects in many areas of this 17 state suffer from rampant crime, including break-ins, larceny, robbery, 18 burglary and rape; 19 (c) Gang activity is increasingly imposing a reign of terror on public 20 housing tenants; the increase in drug-related crime not only leads to 21 murders, muggings, and other forms of violence against tenants, but also 22 to a deterioration of the physical environment that requires substantial 23 government expenditures; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07237-01-9A. 2320 2 1 (d) Local law enforcement authorities often lack the resources to deal 2 with the constant surveillance and patrolling in public housing partic- 3 ularly in light of the recent reductions in federal aid to cities. 4 2. Recent events at certain housing projects demonstrate that these 5 issues are serious, pressing and in need of immediate attention. 6 § 312. Authority to issue grants. The division, in accordance with the 7 provisions of this article, may issue grants to public housing authori- 8 ties or agencies for use in improving security in public housing 9 projects. 10 § 313. Eligible activities. A public housing authority or agency may 11 use a grant under this article for: 12 1. the employment of security personnel in public housing projects; 13 2. reimbursement of local law enforcement agencies for additional 14 security and protective services for public housing projects; 15 3. physical improvements in public housing projects which are specif- 16 ically designed to enhance security; 17 4. training, communications equipment, and other related equipment for 18 use by voluntary public housing tenant patrols acting in cooperation 19 with local law enforcement officials; 20 5. providing funding to nonprofit public housing resident management 21 corporations and tenant councils to develop security programs involving 22 site residents; and 23 6. purchase and installation of cameras throughout public areas of 24 public housing buildings. 25 § 314. Applications. 1. To receive a grant under this article, a 26 public housing authority or agency shall submit an application to the 27 commissioner at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such addi- 28 tional information as the commissioner may reasonably require. Such 29 application shall include, but not be limited to, a plan for addressing 30 security concerns/issues at the requesting public authority or agency. 31 2. The commissioner shall approve applications under this article 32 based upon: 33 (a) the extent of the crime problem in the facilities of the public 34 housing project; 35 (b) the quality of the plan of the public housing authority or agency 36 to address security concerns in the public housing project or projects; 37 (c) the capability of the public housing authority or agency to carry 38 out the plan; and 39 (d) the extent to which the local government and local community 40 support the anti-crime activities of the public housing authority or 41 agency. 42 § 315. Periodic safety inspections. Periodic safety inspections by 43 division agents or employees of public housing units are required. Such 44 inspections shall occur twice per year and ensure that public housing 45 units comport with (1) lead paint regulations; (2) have sufficient and 46 operational locking doors; (3) entrances and doorways into and out of 47 buildings are secure and structurally sound; (4) windows in public areas 48 have adequate locking devices that work; and (5) such other and further 49 inspection as is deemed necessary by the division. The agency shall 50 develop regulations sufficient to effect inspections pursuant to this 51 section. 52 § 316. Annual report. The division shall submit an annual report to 53 the governor, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assem- 54 bly, minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assem- 55 bly, including, but not limited to, outlining the state of safety and 56 security at public housing units throughout the state; specific build-A. 2320 3 1 ings that have failed division inspection; violations; and number of 2 crimes that have occurred at each project. 3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 4 it shall have become a law.
