Senate Bill S8947

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8947

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to creating the Hurricane Maria temporary housing assistance program;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would establish the Hurricane Maria Temporary Housing Assist-
ance Program

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Authorizes local social service agencies to assist families and individ-
uals currently receiving housing assistance under FEMA's Temporary Shel-
ter Assistance (TSA) to qualify for emergency housing deposit and one
month rental assistance.

The legislation should require that the security deposit is returned to
local social service agency, and that the one month rental coverage can
              

be recovered through withholding of tax returns filed in 2019 and 2020.

50% of the one month rental deducted in the 2019 NYS tax return and 50%
in the 2020 NYS tax return.

This act shall apply to TSA program enrollees impacted by Hurricane
Maria and shall stay in effect for 60 days after TSA is scheduled to end
the program on June 30th 2018.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The proposed initiative will authorize county social service districts
to provide emergency rental and rent deposit assistance to any current
Puerto Rican receiving FEMA assistance under its Transitional Shelter
Assistance (TSA). The FEMA program ends next month and will force into
the streets more than 9,000 island evacuees currently living in hotels
throughout New York. Most do not have the financial ability to pay for a
rental deposit and one-month rent required by property owners.

Uncertainty in Washington continues to plague the lives of thousands of
Puertorriquenos and complicate relief efforts. Americans are being told
they can't stay, while the administration outright refuses or strangles
in red tape the rebuilding of their homes. The situation in Puerto Rico
is far from resolved. People are vulnerable. A measured response is more
than basic human decency, it's a moral imperative to help.

These families and individuals are having a tremendous problem finding
permanent housing because of their status as new arrivals into our
communities, and are having an even harder time paying the rental depos-
its required by landlords. This proposal will allow for local counties
to provide that deposit and one month of housing assistance.  The secu-
rity deposit will be recouped through a deduction from their New York
State tax return over a two-year period.

Following the devastation left by Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto
Rican families and individuals have been displaced and are now living
throughout New York State. However, as many await to return to their
communities back home, they are having problems finding an affordable
place to rent. Those who find a place encounter difficulty to keep their
home because they can't pay rental deposits that landlords demand. The
proposal to authorize county social services to offer emergency rental
assistance to Puerto Ricans receiving FEMA assistance through its Tran-
sitional Shelter Assistance is common-sense, since the FEMA program ends
next month. Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans are having a very hard time,
and we need to ensure we provide them with assistance so they can get
back on their feet.

New York must step in and assist the Puerto Rican people in this tremen-
dous time of need. We cannot stand by while 2,300 families risk losing
the emergency housing they so desperately need.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal because of the repayment program it establishes

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate and shall expire and be deemed repealed August 29, 2018.