Provides that whenever rent is paid by NYC human resources administration on behalf of a tenant on public assistance, the department of housing preservation shall send a certification of payment to such tenant.

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S206-2013 Actions

• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO CITIES

S206-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S206

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in
relation to certification
of payment of rent by the human resources
administration
to the tenant

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires the Human Resources Administration to issue a receipt, upon
request, to a tenant on public assistance verifying proof of a rental
payment to the landlord.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Amends title twenty-six of the Administrative Code of the City of New
York by adding a new chapter ten.

JUSTIFICATION:
This bill provides tenants on public assistance the right to request
and promptly obtain a receipt as proof of rental payment made by the
New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA). This legislation
is deemed necessary because there are hundreds of cases whereby
tenants whose rent is paid by HRA are summoned to landlord/tenant
court for non-payment of rent. For many, this legislation could
prevent such disputes from being elevated to the court level.
Tenants on public assistance are rarely aware of the fact that HRA
has paid the landlord.
Such receipt would provide the tenant with proof of payment when
called into court.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
1993-1994: A.6269/S.3881
1995-1996: A.5578/S.3252
1997-1998: A.5675
1999-2000: A.1518/S.2111
2001-2002: A.6545-A
2003-2004: A.5S10
2005-2006: A.735
2007:      A.619
2010:      S.5992/A.1439-A - Passed Senate/Passed Assembly
2012:      Referred to Cities

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unable to determine at this time.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unable to determine at this time.

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

S206-2013 Text

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

                                     206

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 9, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities

  AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the  city  of  New  York,  in
    relation  to  certification  of payment of rent by the human resources
    administration to the tenant

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


    Section 1. Title 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York
  is amended by adding a new chapter 10 to read as follows:

                                  CHAPTER 10
                    CERTIFICATION OF CERTAIN RENT PAYMENT
  SECTION 26-901 CERTIFICATION OF PAYMENT.
    S  26-901  CERTIFICATION  OF PAYMENT. (A) WHENEVER RENT IS PAID BY THE
  HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION TO A LANDLORD ON BEHALF OF A  TENANT  WHO
  IS RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, THE HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION SHALL
  ISSUE  A  CERTIFICATION  OF  PAYMENT TO SUCH TENANT, UPON REQUEST BY THE
  TENANT FOR CERTIFICATION. THE CERTIFICATION OF PAYMENT SHALL SET FORTH:

    (1) THE DATE THE PAYMENT WAS MAILED;
    (2) THE NAME OF THE LANDLORD TO WHOM THE PAYMENT WAS MAILED;
    (3) THE ADDRESS TO WHICH PAYMENT WAS MAILED; AND
    (4) THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT MAILED.
    (B) A REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATION OF PAYMENT MAY BE MADE BY  THE  TENANT
  IN  PERSON AT THE TENANT'S ASSIGNED HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
  OR BY THE TENANT OR THE LANDLORD BY TELEPHONE. IF A REQUEST IS  MADE  IN
  PERSON,  THE  CERTIFICATION  OF  PAYMENT  SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
  TENANT AT THE TENANT'S ASSIGNED HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE NOT
  MORE THAN TWO DAYS AFTER THE REQUEST IS MADE. IF THE REQUEST IS MADE  BY
  TELEPHONE,  THE  CERTIFICATION  OF PAYMENT SHALL BE SENT VIA FIRST CLASS
  MAIL TO THE TENANT AT HIS OR  HER  LAST  KNOWN  ADDRESS  NOT  MORE  THAN
  FIFTEEN  DAYS  AFTER  THE  REQUEST IS MADE. EACH HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINIS-

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD00193-01-3

 S. 206                              2

  TRATION OFFICE SHALL DESIGNATE A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR USE BY TENANTS AND
  LANDLORDS TO REQUEST CERTIFICATION OF PAYMENT.
    (C)  AT  THE TIME OF APPROVAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,
  THE HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE THE APPLICANT FOR
  ASSISTANCE WITH WRITTEN NOTICE OF  HIS  OR  HER  RIGHT  TO  REQUEST  AND
  RECEIVE CERTIFICATION OF RENT PAYMENTS AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.
    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
  it  shall have become a law; provided, however, that the human resources
  administration shall  promulgate  rules  and  regulations  necessary  to
  effectuate this act prior to such effective date.