S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        436--A
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen. KRUEGER -- 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 administrative code of the city of New York and  the
         emergency  tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four, in relation
         to approval of major capital improvement rent increases
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  Section  26-405 of the administrative code of the city of
    2  New York is amended by adding a new subdivision n to read as follows:
    3    N. (1) NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE WILL BE APPROVED  BY
    4  THE  DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL UNLESS THE WORK PERFORMED
    5  IS AN ENHANCEMENT OR UPGRADE TO A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION OR SERVICE THER-
    6  EIN; OR IS AN ADDITION  TO  SUCH  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION  AND  OTHERWISE
    7  ELIGIBLE  ACCORDING  TO  THE PREREQUISITES FOR MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
    8  RENT INCREASES.   ANY REPAIR OR  REPLACEMENT  INTENDED  TO  MAINTAIN  AN
    9  EXISTING  SERVICE  SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
   10  RENT INCREASE.
   11    (2) NO APPLICATION FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT  INCREASE  MAY
   12  BE  APPROVED  IF THERE EXIST ANY OUTSTANDING HAZARDOUS VIOLATIONS AT THE
   13  TIME OF THE CONSIDERATION OF SUCH APPLICATION, AS DETERMINED PURSUANT TO
   14  REGULATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF HOUSING  AND  COMMUNITY  RENEWAL  OR  ANY
   15  AGENCY  ADMINISTERING  AND ENFORCING A BUILDING CODE IN THE JURISDICTION
   16  IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UNLESS IT IS DETERMINED BY  THE  DIVI-
   17  SION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL THAT SUCH WORK IS ESSENTIAL TO THE
   18  ALLEVIATION  OF  THE VIOLATIONS AND SUCH APPROVAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE
   19  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. EXCEPT IN THE  CASE  OF  EMERGENCY  OR  GOOD
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01020-03-2
S. 436--A 2 1 CAUSE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY SHALL FILE, NOT LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS 2 BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE DIVISION OF HOUSING 3 AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL A STATEMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION OUTLINING THE 4 SCOPE OF WORK, EXPECTED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR SUCH WORK AND AN AFFIDA- 5 VIT SETTING FORTH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: 6 (A) EVERY OWNER OF RECORD AND OWNER OF A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THE 7 PROPERTY OR ENTITY OWNING THE PROPERTY OR SPONSORING THE IMPROVEMENT; 8 AND 9 (B) A STATEMENT THAT NONE OF SUCH PERSONS HAD, WITHIN THE FIVE YEARS 10 PRIOR TO THE IMPROVEMENT, BEEN FOUND TO HAVE HARASSED OR UNLAWFULLY 11 EVICTED TENANTS BY JUDGMENT OR DETERMINATION OF A COURT OR AGENCY UNDER 12 THE PENAL LAW, ANY STATE OR LOCAL LAW REGULATING RENTS OR ANY STATE OR 13 LOCAL LAW RELATING TO HARASSMENT OF TENANTS OR UNLAWFUL EVICTION. 14 UPON RECEIPT OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND AFFIDAVIT PROVIDED FOR HEREIN, 15 THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL PROVIDE THE TENANTS 16 IN OCCUPANCY IN SUCH BUILDINGS WITH SUCH INFORMATION. THE DIVISION OF 17 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL, IN ADDITION, IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES 18 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ELICITING TENANT COMMENTS TO DETERMINE 19 WHETHER MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REHABILITATION WORK HAS BEEN SATISFAC- 20 TORILY COMPLETED. NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE SHALL 21 BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL ANY DEFECTIVE OR DEFICIENT REHABILITATION WORK 22 HAS BEEN CURED. 23 S 2. Subdivision c of section 26-511 of the administrative code of the 24 city of New York is amended by adding a new paragraph 6-b to read as 25 follows: 26 (6-B) PROVIDES CRITERIA WHEREBY THE COMMISSIONER MAY ACT UPON APPLICA- 27 TION BY OWNERS FOR INCREASES IN EXCESS OF THE LEVEL OF FAIR RENT 28 INCREASE ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS LAW PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT SUCH CRITERIA 29 SHALL PROVIDE THAT: 30 (1) NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE WILL BE APPROVED BY THE 31 DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL UNLESS THE WORK PERFORMED IS 32 AN ENHANCEMENT OR UPGRADE TO A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION OR SERVICE THEREIN; 33 OR IS AN ADDITION TO SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION AND OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE 34 ACCORDING TO THE PREREQUISITES FOR MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT 35 INCREASES. ANY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT INTENDED TO MAINTAIN AN EXISTING 36 SERVICE SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT 37 INCREASE. 38 (2) NO APPLICATION FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE MAY 39 BE APPROVED IF THERE EXIST ANY OUTSTANDING HAZARDOUS VIOLATIONS AT THE 40 TIME OF THE CONSIDERATION OF SUCH APPLICATION, AS DETERMINED PURSUANT TO 41 REGULATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL OR ANY 42 AGENCY ADMINISTERING AND ENFORCING A BUILDING CODE IN THE JURISDICTION 43 IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UNLESS IT IS DETERMINED BY THE DIVI- 44 SION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL THAT SUCH WORK IS ESSENTIAL TO THE 45 ALLEVIATION OF THE VIOLATIONS AND SUCH APPROVAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 46 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY OR GOOD 47 CAUSE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY SHALL FILE, NOT LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS 48 BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE DIVISION OF HOUSING 49 AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL A STATEMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION OUTLINING THE 50 SCOPE OF WORK, EXPECTED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR SUCH WORK AND AN AFFIDA- 51 VIT SETTING FORTH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: 52 (A) EVERY OWNER OF RECORD AND OWNER OF A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THE 53 PROPERTY OR ENTITY OWNING THE PROPERTY OR SPONSORING THE IMPROVEMENT; 54 AND 55 (B) A STATEMENT THAT NONE OF SUCH PERSONS HAD, WITHIN THE FIVE YEARS 56 PRIOR TO THE IMPROVEMENT, BEEN FOUND TO HAVE HARASSED OR UNLAWFULLY
S. 436--A 3 1 EVICTED TENANTS BY JUDGMENT OR DETERMINATION OF A COURT OR AGENCY UNDER 2 THE PENAL LAW, ANY STATE OR LOCAL LAW REGULATING RENTS OR ANY STATE OR 3 LOCAL LAW RELATING TO HARASSMENT OF TENANTS OR UNLAWFUL EVICTION. 4 UPON RECEIPT OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND AFFIDAVIT PROVIDED FOR HEREIN, 5 THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL PROVIDE THE TENANTS 6 IN OCCUPANCY IN SUCH BUILDINGS WITH SUCH INFORMATION. THE DIVISION OF 7 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL, IN ADDITION, IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES 8 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ELICITING TENANT COMMENTS TO DETERMINE 9 WHETHER MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REHABILITATION WORK HAS BEEN SATISFAC- 10 TORILY COMPLETED. NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE SHALL 11 BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL ANY DEFECTIVE OR DEFICIENT REHABILITATION WORK 12 HAS BEEN CURED. 13 S 3. Section 6 of section 4 of chapter 576 of the laws of 1974, 14 constituting the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy- 15 four, is amended by adding a new subdivision d-1 to read as follows: 16 D-1. (1) NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE WILL BE APPROVED 17 BY THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL UNLESS THE WORK 18 PERFORMED IS AN ENHANCEMENT OR UPGRADE TO A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION OR 19 SERVICE THEREIN; OR IS AN ADDITION TO SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION AND 20 OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE ACCORDING TO THE PREREQUISITES FOR MAJOR CAPITAL 21 IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASES. ANY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT INTENDED TO MAIN- 22 TAIN AN EXISTING SERVICE SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL 23 IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE. 24 (2) NO APPLICATION FOR A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE MAY 25 BE APPROVED IF THERE EXIST ANY OUTSTANDING HAZARDOUS VIOLATIONS AT THE 26 TIME OF THE CONSIDERATION OF SUCH APPLICATION, AS DETERMINED PURSUANT TO 27 REGULATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL OR ANY 28 AGENCY ADMINISTERING AND ENFORCING A BUILDING CODE IN THE JURISDICTION 29 IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UNLESS IT IS DETERMINED BY THE DIVI- 30 SION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL THAT SUCH WORK IS ESSENTIAL TO THE 31 ALLEVIATION OF THE VIOLATIONS AND SUCH APPROVAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 32 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY OR GOOD 33 CAUSE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY SHALL FILE, NOT LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS 34 BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE DIVISION OF HOUSING 35 AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL A STATEMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION OUTLINING THE 36 SCOPE OF WORK, EXPECTED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR SUCH WORK AND AN AFFIDA- 37 VIT SETTING FORTH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: 38 (A) EVERY OWNER OF RECORD AND OWNER OF A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THE 39 PROPERTY OR ENTITY OWNING THE PROPERTY OR SPONSORING THE IMPROVEMENT; 40 AND 41 (B) A STATEMENT THAT NONE OF SUCH PERSONS HAD, WITHIN THE FIVE YEARS 42 PRIOR TO THE IMPROVEMENT, BEEN FOUND TO HAVE HARASSED OR UNLAWFULLY 43 EVICTED TENANTS BY JUDGMENT OR DETERMINATION OF A COURT OR AGENCY UNDER 44 THE PENAL LAW, ANY STATE OR LOCAL LAW REGULATING RENTS OR ANY STATE OR 45 LOCAL LAW RELATING TO HARASSMENT OF TENANTS OR UNLAWFUL EVICTION. 46 UPON RECEIPT OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND AFFIDAVIT PROVIDED FOR HEREIN, 47 THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL PROVIDE THE TENANTS 48 IN OCCUPANCY IN SUCH BUILDINGS WITH SUCH INFORMATION. THE DIVISION OF 49 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL SHALL, IN ADDITION, IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES 50 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ELICITING TENANT COMMENTS TO DETERMINE 51 WHETHER MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REHABILITATION WORK HAS BEEN SATISFAC- 52 TORILY COMPLETED. NO MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RENT INCREASE SHALL 53 BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL ANY DEFECTIVE OR DEFICIENT REHABILITATION WORK 54 HAS BEEN CURED. 55 S 4. Paragraph 3 of subdivision d of section 6 of section 4 of chapter 56 576 of the laws of 1974 constituting the emergency tenant protection act
S. 436--A 4 1 of nineteen seventy-four, as amended by chapter 749 of the laws of 1990, 2 is amended to read as follows: 3 (3) there has been since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four 4 a major capital improvement required for the operation, preservation or 5 maintenance of the structure; PROVIDED THAT THE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVE- 6 MENT WAS NOT FUNDED IN ANY PART FROM MONEYS PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK 7 STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR ANY SUCCESSOR AGENCY. 8 An adjustment under this paragraph shall be in an amount sufficient to 9 amortize the cost of the improvements pursuant to this paragraph over a 10 seven-year period, or 11 S 5. Subparagraph (g) of paragraph 1 of subdivision g of section 12 26-405 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by 13 chapter 749 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows: 14 (g) There has been since July first, nineteen hundred seventy, a major 15 capital improvement required for the operation, preservation or mainte- 16 nance of the structure; PROVIDED THAT THE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT WAS 17 NOT FUNDED IN ANY PART FROM MONEYS PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY 18 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR ANY SUCCESSOR AGENCY. An adjust- 19 ment under this subparagraph (g) shall be in an amount sufficient to 20 amortize the cost of the improvements pursuant to this subparagraph (g) 21 over a seven-year period; or 22 S 6. Subparagraph (k) of paragraph 1 of subdivision g of section 23 26-405 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by 24 chapter 749 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows: 25 (k) The landlord has incurred, since January first, nineteen hundred 26 seventy, in connection with and in addition to a concurrent major capi- 27 tal improvement pursuant to subparagraph (g) of this paragraph, other 28 expenditures to improve, restore or preserve the quality of the struc- 29 ture; PROVIDED THAT SUCH OTHER EXPENDITURES WERE NOT FUNDED IN ANY PART 30 FROM MONEYS PROVIDED BY THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOP- 31 MENT AUTHORITY OR ANY SUCCESSOR AGENCY. An adjustment under this 32 subparagraph shall be granted only if such improvements represent an 33 expenditure equal to at least ten per centum of the total operating and 34 maintenance expenses for the preceding year. An adjustment under this 35 subparagraph shall be in addition to any adjustment granted for the 36 concurrent major capital improvement and shall be in an amount suffi- 37 cient to amortize the cost of the improvements pursuant to this subpara- 38 graph over a seven-year period. 39 S 7. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that: 40 (a) the amendments to section 26-405 of the city rent and rehabili- 41 tation law made by sections one, five and six of this act shall remain 42 in full force and effect only so long as the public emergency requiring 43 the regulation and control of residential rents and evictions continues, 44 as provided in subdivision 3 of section 1 of the local emergency housing 45 rent control act; 46 (b) the amendment to section 26-511 of the rent stabilization law of 47 nineteen hundred sixty-nine made by section two of this act shall expire 48 on the same date as such law expires and shall not affect the expiration 49 of such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law, as from time 50 to time amended; and 51 (c) the amendments to section 6 of the emergency tenant protection act 52 of nineteen seventy-four made by sections three and four of this act 53 shall expire on the same date as such act expires and shall not affect 54 the expiration of such act as provided in section 17 of chapter 576 of 55 the laws of 1974, as from time to time amended.