S113-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO AGING
• Mar 31, 2011: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Feb 14, 2011: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO AGING

S113-2011 Meetings

S113-2011 Votes

S113-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S113

TITLE OF BILL:           REVISED 12/30/11
An act
to amend the elder law, in relation to creating a shared housing
program for senior citizens

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this
bill is to assist
older New Yorkers in locating affordable housing.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 Amends the Elder Law by adding a new section 224. This bill
would establish the Shared Housing Program. The program would be
administered by the State Office for the Aging (SOFA) in
consultation with the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).
Persons who are 60 years of age or older would register with SOFA or
an Area Agency on Aging to indicate their interest in sharing their
living space or in seeking living quarters with another eligible
person. SOFA or Area Agencies on Aging would be required to maintain
a registry of senior citizens seeking to share housing.

In addition, this bill would require that information be collected on
a designated form designed by SOFA that would include the name,
address, references and a statement indicating whether the individual
has been convicted in the past five years of certain crimes.
Providing information known to be false would be cause for immediate
removal from the registry.

SOFA would also be authorized to impose a fee not to exceed one dollar
for entry of a senior's name onto the registry. Such fee would be
collected for the purpose of implementing and maintaining the shared
housing registry.

Section 2 - Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:
This bill adds a new Section 224 to the Elder Law.

JUSTIFICATION:
The costs associated with maintaining a home or renting an apartment
continue to increase considerably. Providing aid to senior citizens
seeking to share living space with another older person has potential
benefits. It would assist the elderly in reducing their housing costs
and provide for increased companionship and security. Excessive
housing costs are the most wide-spread housing problem facing the
elderly. In addition, seniors are often forced to move from their
life long residence when a major life event, such as the loss of a
spouse or declining health occurs. A report issued by SOFA and DHCR
stated that when a senior citizen has to move under these
circumstances they often prefer to reside in housing with persons of
their own age.
Assisting senior citizens in making living arrangements during such a
difficult period could greatly ease the fears and anxieties
associated with making appropriate living arrangements.


LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2011: S.113 - Reported and Referred to Finance/A.3955 - Referred to
      Aging
2010: S.7706 - Reported and committed to Finance/A.1359 - Referred to
      Aging
2009: A.1359 - Referred to Aging
2008: S.3170B - Amended and Recommitted to Finance/A.827 A - Amended
      and Recommitted to Ways and Means
2007: S.3170 - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.827 - Reported,
      Referred to Ways and Means

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S113-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                          113
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 5, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
 

AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to creating a shared  housing
 program for senior citizens
 

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

 

Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a  new  section  224  to
 read as follows:

 

S  224. SHARED HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. 1. THE OFFICE SHALL ESTAB
 LISH A PROGRAM, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND  COMMU
 NITY RENEWAL, THROUGH WHICH, PERSONS WHO ARE SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
 MAY  REGISTER WITH THE OFFICE OR DESIGNATED AGENCIES ON AGING INDICATING
 THEIR DESIRE TO SHARE THEIR LIVING SPACE OR ARE SEEKING LIVING  QUARTERS
 WITH ANOTHER ELIGIBLE PERSON.
 2.  THE OFFICE OR DESIGNATED AGENCIES ON AGING SHALL MAINTAIN A REGIS
 TRY OF SENIOR CITIZENS SEEKING  TO  SHARE  THEIR  LIVING  QUARTERS  WITH
 ANOTHER SENIOR CITIZEN.
 (A)  INFORMATION  SHALL BE COLLECTED ON A FORM DESIGNED BY THE OFFICE,
 WHICH SHALL INCLUDE THE NAME, ADDRESS, UP TO THREE  PERSONAL  REFERENCES
 AND  A STATEMENT INDICATING WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN CONVICTED IN
 THE PAST FIVE YEARS OF A CRIME INVOLVING THEFT, ASSAULT, THE  THREAT  OR
 USE  OF  FORCE,  POSSESSION  OR  SALE  OF  A  CONTROLLED  SUBSTANCE,  OR
 POSSESSION OF A WEAPON OR FIREARM. THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL SPECIFY  ON  THE
 STATEMENT  THE  CRIME  OR  CRIMES,  IF  ANY,  FOR  WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN
 CONVICTIONS. THE STATEMENT SHALL INCLUDE  AN  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  THAT  THE
 INFORMATION IS TRUE TO THE BEST KNOWLEDGE OF THE SENIOR CITIZEN AND THAT
 PROVIDING  INFORMATION  KNOWN TO BE FALSE IS CAUSE FOR IMMEDIATE REMOVAL
 FROM THE REGISTRY.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00267-01-1
 
       S. 113                              2
 (B) INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE  SHARED  HOUSING  REGISTRY  SHALL  BE
 CONFIDENTIAL  AND  USED  ONLY  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF  CARRYING  OUT  THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
 3.  THE  OFFICE SHALL DEVELOP AND PROMULGATE REGULATIONS, IN CONSULTA
 TION WITH THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL,  NECESSARY  FOR
 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
 4.  THE  OFFICE  MAY IMPOSE A FEE THAT SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE DOLLAR FOR
 ENTRY OF A SENIOR CITIZEN'S NAME ONTO THE REGISTRY AND SUCH FEE SHALL BE
 COLLECTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING  AND  MAINTAINING  THE  SHARED
 HOUSING REGISTRY.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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