S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8096--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 18, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KAVANAGH,  BIAGGI, JACKSON, KAPLAN, KRUEGER, MAY,
   SEPULVEDA, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when print-
   ed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Housing,  Construction  and
   Community  Development  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to  establishing  an
   obligation to affirmatively further fair housing
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a  new  article
 14 to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE XIV
             OBLIGATION TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING
 SECTION 600. OBLIGATION TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING.
   §  600.  OBLIGATION TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. 1.  FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "COVERED HOUSING AGENCY"  SHALL  MEAN
 ANY  STATE DEPARTMENT, AGENCY OR OFFICE ADMINISTERING HOUSING AND COMMU-
 NITY DEVELOPMENT LAWS OR  HOUSING  AND  COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAMS
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO NEW YORK STATE HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL,
 THE  DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE NEW YORK STATE HOUS-
 ING FINANCE AGENCY, THE  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING  CORPORATION,  THE  HOUSING
 TRUST FUND CORPORATION, THE MUNICIPAL BOND BANK AGENCY, THE STATE OF NEW
 YORK  MORTGAGE  AGENCY,  ANY  SUBSIDIARY  OF THE FOREGOING AGENCIES, ANY
 PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY, AND ANY LOCALITIES RECEIVING FUNDS FROM ANY STATE
 DEPARTMENT, AGENCY  OR  OFFICE  TO  ADMINISTER  PROGRAMS  OR  ACTIVITIES
 RELATED TO HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
   2.  THE COMMISSIONER AND ALL COVERED HOUSING AGENCIES SHALL ADMINISTER
 ALL SUCH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVEL-
 OPMENT IN A MANNER THAT AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERS FAIR  HOUSING  AND  SHALL
 COOPERATE WITH THE COMMISSIONER TO FURTHER SUCH PURPOSE.
   3.  THE COMMISSIONER AND ALL COVERED HOUSING AGENCIES SHALL TAKE MEAN-
 INGFUL ACTIONS TO:
   (A) IDENTIFY AND OVERCOME  PATTERNS  OF  RESIDENTIAL  SEGREGATION  AND
 HOUSING DISCRIMINATION;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              
             
                          
                                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15283-05-0
 S. 8096--A                          2
 
   (B) ERADICATE RACIALLY OR ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY;
   (C) REDUCE DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY;
   (D) ELIMINATE DISPROPORTIONATE HOUSING NEEDS;
   (E) PROVIDE THE PUBLIC REASONABLE AND REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMENT
 ON  FAIR  HOUSING ISSUES AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCE-
 MENT OF AFFIRMATIVE FAIR HOUSING POLICY; AND
   (F) ENCOURAGE AND MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION TWO  HUNDRED  NINE-
 TY-SIX OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   4.  THE  COMMISSIONER  AND  ALL COVERED HOUSING AGENCIES SHALL TAKE NO
 ACTION THAT IS MATERIALLY  INCONSISTENT  WITH  THE  OBLIGATION  OF  THIS
 SECTION.
   5.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER THIRTIETH OF EACH YEAR
 PRODUCE A DRAFT REPORT THAT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.   THE
 REPORT  SHALL INCLUDE ANY SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVES, POLICIES, OR PROGRAMS
 UNDERTAKEN IN FURTHERANCE OF FAIR HOUSING AND  ANY  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR
 IMPROVING THE STATE OF FAIR HOUSING IN NEW YORK.  THE DRAFT REPORT SHALL
 BE  OPEN TO A MINIMUM OF THIRTY DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL, ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER  FIRST  OF  EACH  YEAR,  SUBMIT  THE  FINAL
 VERSION OF SAID REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND
 THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF THE SENATE.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT
 ALONG WITH THE FINAL REPORT,  ALL  COMMENTS  RECEIVED  PURSUANT  TO  THE
 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.