BILL NUMBER: S6916A

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the local emergency housing rent control act, in
relation to the date in calendar year 2022 when the local legislative
body of a city having a population of one million or more may determine
the continuation of the emergency; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon the expiration thereof

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill amends subdivision 3 of section 1 of chapter 21
of the laws of 1962, constituting the local emergency housing rent
control act, by providing that, to ensure sufficient time to complete
the requisite housing survey in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,
the latest date by which a local legislative body may make a determi-
nation regarding the existence of a public emergency requiring the regu-
lation and control of residential rents and evictions within cities
having a population of one million or more in calendar year 2022 is
postponed to July 1, 2022.
              

Section two of the bill provides that it would take effect immediately
and expire and be deemed repealed on December 31, 2023, provided that
such expiration and repeal will not affect the validity of any determi-
nation consistent with this act made in calendar year 2022.

 
REASONS FOR SUPPORT:

Rent stabilization and control are critical protections for the City of
New York (the City), which has had a continued housing crisis since at
least the 1960s. Under existing law, in cities with a population of one
million or more, any determination as to the continuation of an ongoing
housing emergency shall be made at least once every three to four years
following a survey that such city shall cause to be made of the supply
of housing accommodations within such city, the condition of such accom-
modations and the need for continuing the regulation and control of
residential rents and evictions within such city. The City has histor-
ically made this determination using the New York City Housing and
Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS), which is conducted by the United States Census
Bureau (the Census Bureau) on behalf of the City.

The most recent NYCHVS was conducted in 2017, and the City determination
of housing emergency was made in 2018. Because the Census Bureau
conducted the decennial census in 2020 and would not have been able to
complete the NYCHVS that year, the State Legislature extended the dead-
line for the City to make its next determination of emergency and future
such determinations that would compete with the decennial census. The
New York City Council (City Council) then modified the expiration date
of the Rent Stabilization Law of 1969, giving the City until April 2022
to complete the NYCHVS, deliver the select initial findings and deter-
mine whether an emergency still exists.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to normal business
operations across New York City during much of 2020 and well into the
first four months of 2021. The pandemic contributed to frustration of
the Census Bureau's recruitment and hiring of field staff, slowing the
rollout of the 2021 NYCHVS field period, which began in February 2021.
In light of these delays, the Census Bureau requires additional time to
complete its normal fieldwork. This bill would postpone the date by
which the City may make a determination as to the continuation of the
housing emergency from April 1, 2022 until July 1, 2022 to give the
Census Bureau three additional months to complete field work.

Accordingly, the Mayor urges the earliest possible favorable consider-
ation of this proposal by the Legislature.