Senate Bill S6593

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

                                  6593

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 1, 2012
                               ___________

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

AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to making certain
  tax abatement forms more readily available to seniors and  authorizing
  certain entities to assist in the completion of such forms

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

  Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
is amended by adding a new paragraph g to read as follows:
  G. "SUPERVISING AGENCY" SHALL MEAN THE APPROPRIATE RENT CONTROL AGENCY
OR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY DESIGNATED TO ADMINISTER THE TAX ABATEMENT  FOR
RENT-CONTROLLED  AND RENT REGULATED PROPERTY OCCUPIED BY SENIOR CITIZENS
OR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PURSUANT TO A  LOCAL  LAW,  RESOLUTION,  OR
ORDINANCE PASSED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. Section 467-b of the real property tax law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
  3-A.  THE  SUPERVISING  AGENCY SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN THAT
WILL INCREASE THE ABILITY OF APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS TO  OBTAIN  AND
COMPLETE ITS FORMS IN A COMMUNITY SETTING. ADDITIONALLY, THE SUPERVISING
AGENCY SHALL MAKE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETION OF
SUCH FORMS. SUCH PLAN SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
  A.  PARTNERING  WITH  ORGANIZATIONS,  WHERE  AVAILABLE, THAT ENGAGE IN
OUTREACH AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO SENIORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
TO MAKE SUCH FORMS AVAILABLE TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS AND CURRENT PARTIC-
IPANTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO  THE  COMPLETION
OF  SUCH  FORMS.  ORGANIZATIONS  THAT  HAVE  CONTACT WITH SENIORS IN THE
COMMUNITY SHALL INCLUDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO  SENIOR
CENTERS,  COMMUNITY-BASED  ORGANIZATIONS,  COMMUNITY  BOARDS ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED OF THE NEW YORK  CITY  CHARTER,
NEIGHBORHOOD  PRESERVATION  COMPANIES  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO ARTICLE
SIXTEEN OF THE PRIVATE  HOUSING  FINANCE  LAW,  AND  RURAL  PRESERVATION
CORPORATIONS  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO ARTICLE SEVENTEEN OF THE PRIVATE
HOUSING FINANCE LAW;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14357-01-2
              

S. 6593                             2

  B. PARTNERING WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL ENTITIES OR AGENCIES TO DISSEMINATE
INFORMATION AND FORMS FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL  AS  PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE WITH THE COMPLETION OF SUCH FORMS;
  C.  PROVIDING  TRAINING  FOR  INDIVIDUALS IN SUCH PARTNERING ORGANIZA-
TIONS, ENTITIES, AND AGENCIES TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN  COMPLETING  SUCH
FORMS FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM;
  D. AUTHORIZING ORGANIZATIONS, ENTITIES, OR AGENCIES THAT OFFER ASSIST-
ANCE  WITH  FORMS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION TO ACCEPT COMPLETED FORMS
FROM APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS AND FORWARD  THEM  TO  THE  SUPERVISING
AGENCY.  THE  SUPERVISING  AGENCY  SHALL TREAT SUCH FORMS AS IF THEY HAD
BEEN RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM THE APPLICANT OR PARTICIPANT; AND
  E. PROVIDING DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OFFICE OF  THE  SUPER-
VISING  AGENCY TO APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARD-
ING THE PROGRAM.
  S 3. Subdivision 4 of section 467-b of the real property tax  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  651  of  the  laws  of 1988, is amended to read as
follows:
  4. The head of the household must apply every two years to the  appro-
priate  rent control agency or administrative agency for a tax abatement
certificate on a form prescribed by said agency.   SUCH  FORM  SHALL  BE
MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  ANY ORGANIZATION, ENTITY, OR AGENCY PARTNERING WITH
THE SUPERVISING AGENCY PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE-A OF THIS  SECTION.
ANY  COMPLETED  APPLICATION RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH D OF SUBDIVI-
SION THREE-A OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE TREATED AS IF IT HAD BEEN RECEIVED
DIRECTLY FROM THE APPLICANT OR PARTICIPANT. A tax abatement  certificate
setting forth an amount not in excess of the increase in maximum rent or
legal  regulated  rent  for  the  taxable period or such other amount as
shall be determined under subdivision three of  this  section  shall  be
issued  by  said agency to each head of the household who is found to be
eligible under this section on or before the last date prescribed by law
for the payment of the taxes or the first  installment  thereof  of  any
municipal corporation which has granted an abatement of taxes. Copies of
such  certificate  shall  be  issued  to  the owner of the real property
containing the dwelling unit of the head of the  household  and  to  the
collecting officer charged with the duty of collecting the taxes of each
municipal  corporation  which has granted the abatement of taxes author-
ized by this section.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the  amend-
ments  to  section  467-b  of the real property tax law made by sections
one, two and three of this act shall not affect the expiration  of  such
section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.