Enacts the "public housing and safety security act of 2012"; 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 inspection reports and an annual report.

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S5284A-2011 Actions

• Jan 23, 2012: PRINT NUMBER 5284A
• Jan 23, 2012: AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
• May 3, 2011: REFERRED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

S5284A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S5284A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public housing law, in relation to enacting the "public
housing safety and security act of 2012"

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This omnibus bill would create a new Article 12-A in the state public
housing law by enacting several different statutes designed to
increase security at public housing units throughout the state. In
addition, the bill would set up a grant program, to be administered
under the discretion of the New York State Division of Housing and
Community Renewal for use in increasing security and safety measures
at public housing projects.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the public housing law by adding a new Article 12-A.
Section 310 allows for the act to be cited as the "public housing
safety and security act of 2009." Section 311 outlines legislative
findings.
Section 312 provides that, in accordance with the provisions of this
article, the division may issue grants to public housing authorities
or agencies to be used for the improvement of security in public
housing projects. Section 313 outlines the applications process.
Section 315 requires DHCR to make biannual inspections of all public
housing units in the state to ensure basic and core security features
of buildings are operational. Section 316 enacts a new statute
requiring the DHCR to submit an annual report to the legislature on
the state of public housing in New York.

EXISTING LAW:
Article 12 of the public housing law currently outlines a program
similar to this that attempts to combat the widespread use of drugs
and drug dealing in public housing projects. However, current law
does not attempt to combat other serious crimes such as robbery and
rape that occur in public housing in New York State.

There is no law that requires DHCR to conduct biannual inspection of
public housing units throughout the state. In addition, the state
does not require a report on this issue be drafted and forwarded to
the legislature for review.

JUSTIFICATION:
It is positive to note that crime in public housing has decreased.
However, crime committed in government subsidized housing projects
remains greater than the rest of New York City housing
establishments. Recent crime statistics reflected that 11 % of
murders, 11% of rapes and 16% of shootings were committed in public
housing projects, yet they only house five percent of the population
of New York City. These facilities do not receive a proportionate

amount of the security patrol coverage available. The current
security measures are inadequate. In 2005, a study by the New York
City Council found that a trespasser could successfully access a New
York City Housing Authority building by the front door nearly 50% of
the time without a key or entry card. This bill will authorize grants
that enable creative innovation of security measures that enhance the
safety of these public facilities and provide these residents with
the dignity and safety that they deserve.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2011: S.5284 Referred to Housing A.7674 - Referred to Housing
2010: A.4458 Referred to Housing
2007: A.9987 Died in Housing

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
A five million dollar appropriation from the general fund will be used
to implement this program.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after is
shall have become law.

S5284A-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                   5284--A

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 May 3, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
    Community  Development  --  recommitted  to  the Committee on Housing,
    Construction and Community Development in accordance with Senate  Rule
    6,  sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
    amended and recommitted to said committee

  AN ACT to amend the public housing law,  in  relation  to  enacting  the
    "public housing safety and security act of 2012"

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a  new  article
  12-A to read as follows:

                                ARTICLE 12-A
                     PUBLIC HOUSING SAFETY AND SECURITY
  SECTION 310. SHORT TITLE.
          311. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
          312. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE GRANTS.
          313. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
          314. APPLICATIONS.
          315. PERIODIC SAFETY INSPECTIONS.
          316. ANNUAL REPORT.
    S  310.  SHORT  TITLE. THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS
  THE "PUBLIC HOUSING SAFETY AND SECURITY ACT OF 2012".
    S 311. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. 1. (A) THE STATE HAS A  DUTY  TO  PROVIDE
  PUBLIC HOUSING THAT IS DECENT, SAFE, SECURE AND FREE FROM CRIME;
    (B)  THOSE  WHO  LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS IN MANY AREAS OF THIS
  STATE SUFFER FROM RAMPANT CRIME, INCLUDING BREAK-INS, LARCENY,  ROBBERY,
  BURGLARY AND RAPE;
    (C) DRUG DEALERS ARE INCREASINGLY IMPOSING A REIGN OF TERROR ON PUBLIC
  HOUSING  TENANTS;  THE  INCREASE IN DRUG-RELATED CRIME NOT ONLY LEADS TO
  MURDERS, MUGGINGS, AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST TENANTS, BUT ALSO

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD09619-02-1

 S. 5284--A                          2

  TO A DETERIORATION OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL
  GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES; AND
    (D) LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES OFTEN LACK THE RESOURCES TO DEAL
  WITH  THE CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE AND PATROLLING IN PUBLIC HOUSING PARTIC-
  ULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL AID TO CITIES.
    2.  RECENT EVENTS AT CERTAIN HOUSING PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY THE TILDEN
  HOUSING PROJECTS IN BROOKLYN DEMONSTRATE THAT THESE ISSUES ARE  SERIOUS,
  PRESSING AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
    S 312. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE GRANTS. THE DIVISION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
  PROVISIONS  OF THIS ARTICLE, MAY ISSUE GRANTS TO PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORI-
  TIES OR AGENCIES  FOR  USE  IN  IMPROVING  SECURITY  IN  PUBLIC  HOUSING
  PROJECTS.
    S  313.  ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES. A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY OR AGENCY MAY
  USE A GRANT UNDER THIS ARTICLE FOR:

    1. THE EMPLOYMENT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL IN PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS;
    2. REIMBURSEMENT OF LOCAL  LAW  ENFORCEMENT  AGENCIES  FOR  ADDITIONAL
  SECURITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS;
    3.  PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS WHICH ARE SPECIF-
  ICALLY DESIGNED TO ENHANCE SECURITY;
    4. TRAINING, COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR
  USE BY VOLUNTARY PUBLIC HOUSING TENANT  PATROLS  ACTING  IN  COOPERATION
  WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS;
    5.  PROVIDING  FUNDING TO NONPROFIT PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENT MANAGEMENT
  CORPORATIONS AND TENANT COUNCILS TO DEVELOP SECURITY PROGRAMS  INVOLVING
  SITE RESIDENTS; AND
    6.  PURCHASE  AND  INSTALLATION  OF CAMERAS THROUGHOUT PUBLIC AREAS OF
  PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDINGS.
    S 314. APPLICATIONS. 1. TO RECEIVE  A  GRANT  UNDER  THIS  ARTICLE,  A
  PUBLIC  HOUSING  AUTHORITY  OR AGENCY SHALL SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE
  COMMISSIONER AT SUCH TIME, IN SUCH MANNER, AND ACCOMPANIED BY SUCH ADDI-
  TIONAL INFORMATION AS THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY  REASONABLY  REQUIRE.  SUCH
  APPLICATION  SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, A PLAN FOR ADDRESSING
  SECURITY CONCERNS/ISSUES AT THE REQUESTING PUBLIC AUTHORITY OR AGENCY.
    2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  APPROVE  APPLICATIONS  UNDER  THIS  ARTICLE
  BASED UPON:

    (A)  THE  EXTENT  OF THE CRIME PROBLEM IN THE FACILITIES OF THE PUBLIC
  HOUSING PROJECT;
    (B) THE QUALITY OF THE PLAN OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY OR  AGENCY
  TO ADDRESS SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT OR PROJECTS;
    (C)  THE CAPABILITY OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY OR AGENCY TO CARRY
  OUT THE PLAN; AND
    (D) THE EXTENT TO WHICH  THE  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  AND  LOCAL  COMMUNITY
  SUPPORT  THE  ANTI-CRIME  ACTIVITIES  OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY OR
  AGENCY.
    S 315. PERIODIC SAFETY INSPECTIONS.  PERIODIC  SAFETY  INSPECTIONS  BY
  DIVISION  AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ARE REQUIRED. SUCH
  INSPECTIONS SHALL OCCUR TWICE PER YEAR AND ENSURE  THAT  PUBLIC  HOUSING
  UNITS  COMPORT  WITH (1) LEAD PAINT REGULATIONS; (2) HAVE SUFFICIENT AND
  OPERATIONAL LOCKING DOORS; (3) ENTRANCES AND DOORWAYS INTO  AND  OUT  OF
  BUILDINGS ARE SECURE AND STRUCTURALLY SOUND; (4) WINDOWS IN PUBLIC AREAS
  HAVE  ADEQUATE LOCKING DEVICES THAT WORK; AND (5) SUCH OTHER AND FURTHER
  INSPECTION AS IS DEEMED NECESSARY BY  THE  DIVISION.  THE  AGENCY  SHALL
  DEVELOP  REGULATIONS  SUFFICIENT  TO EFFECT INSPECTIONS PURSUANT TO THIS
  SECTION.
    S 316. ANNUAL REPORT. THE DIVISION SHALL SUBMIT AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  TO
  THE  GOVERNOR,  TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, SPEAKER OF THE ASSEM-

 S. 5284--A                          3

  BLY, MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEM-
  BLY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, OUTLINING THE STATE  OF  SAFETY  AND
  SECURITY  AT  PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS THROUGHOUT THE STATE; SPECIFIC BUILD-
  INGS  THAT  HAVE  FAILED  DIVISION INSPECTION; VIOLATIONS; AND NUMBER OF
  CRIMES THAT HAVE OCCURRED AT EACH PROJECT.
    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
  it shall have become a law.