Bill Text: NY A08389 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs the division of human rights to promulgate a statement regarding housing discrimination that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance to inform recipients of such assistance about what statements and actions may be considered illegal discrimination based on lawful source of income.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to governmental operations [A08389 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A08389-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8389 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY June 15, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to directing the division of human rights to promulgate a statement regarding housing discrimi- nation that shall be appended to any form of housing assistance The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 295-a 2 to read as follows: 3 § 295-a. Additional powers and duties of the division. In addition to 4 the powers and duties otherwise provided by this article, the division 5 shall: 6 Create and promulgate a statement that shall be appended to any form 7 of housing assistance administered by any state or municipal agency 8 including, but not limited to, the section eight housing choice voucher 9 program, or any other form of housing assistance, payment, or credit 10 regardless of whether or not such assistance or credit is paid or attri- 11 buted directly to a landlord. Such statement shall, at a minimum, 12 include: 13 1. examples of different forms of lawful source of income; 14 2. examples of phrases that may indicate discrimination based on 15 lawful source of income in violation of section two hundred ninety-six 16 of this article; 17 3. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other 18 housing agents to refuse to accept rental assistance for payment of rent 19 or a security deposit in buildings with six or more units; 20 4. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other 21 housing agents to request additional payments for rent, a security 22 deposit or broker's fee because an individual receives rental assist- 23 ance; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13308-02-9A. 8389 2 1 5. a statement that it is illegal for landlords, brokers and other 2 housing agents to publish any type of advertisement that indicates a 3 refusal to accept rental assistance; 4 6. a statement that it is illegal for landlords to refuse or delay 5 making repairs to an individual's unit because such individual pays rent 6 with rental assistance; 7 7. a statement that an individual has the right to be free from 8 discriminatory, harassing or threatening behavior or comments based on 9 such individual's receipt of or application for rental assistance; 10 8. contact information, including phone numbers, for the appropriate 11 agencies and departments at which to make a complaint if the voucher 12 recipient feels that he or she is a victim of source of income discrimi- 13 nation; and 14 9. any other information deemed appropriate by the commissioner. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 16 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment 17 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation 18 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 19 completed on or before such effective date.