S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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8098
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
June 11, 2021
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Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to rental
assistance and legal regulated rents in affordable housing projects
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The private housing finance law is amended by adding a new
section 610 to read as follows:
§ 610. RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND LEGAL REGULATED RENTS. 1. (A) NOTWITH-
STANDING THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR OR
THE RENT STABILIZATION LAW OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE, ANY REGU-
LATION PROMULGATED PURSUANT TO SUCH ACT OR LAW, OR ANY OTHER PROVISION
OF LAW, WHERE A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION IS SUBJECT TO A REGULATORY AGREE-
MENT WITH A STATE OR MUNICIPAL AGENCY OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, OR
A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE, AND WHERE A FEDERAL, STATE, OR
LOCAL PROGRAM PROVIDES RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION,
SUCH STATE OR MUNICIPAL AGENCY OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, OR POLI-
TICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE, MAY ALLOW IN SUCH REGULATORY AGREEMENT
THE OWNER OF SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION TO CHARGE AND COLLECT A RENT FOR
SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION THAT (I) DOES NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM PAYMENT
STANDARD OR CONTRACT RENT THAT THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE
FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, BUT (II) DOES EXCEED THE LEGAL REGULATED
RENT FOR THE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.
(B) IF ANY SUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE ENDS UPON THE VACANCY OF THE HOUSING
ACCOMMODATION, THE OWNER OF SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SHALL THEREAFTER
CHARGE AND COLLECT A RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION THAT DOES NOT
EXCEED THE LESSER OF (I) THE PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED LEGAL REGULATED RENT
FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, AS ADJUSTED BY THE MOST RECENT APPLICA-
BLE GUIDELINES INCREASES APPROVED BY A RENT GUIDELINES BOARD ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR
AND ANY OTHER INCREASES AUTHORIZED BY LAW, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE PREVI-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11815-01-1
A. 8098 2
OUSLY ESTABLISHED LEGAL REGULATED RENT WAS LAST CHARGED, AND (II) ANY
LOWER RENT THAT IS REQUIRED BY SUCH REGULATORY AGREEMENT.
(C) IF ANY SUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE ENDS DURING A TENANCY, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, UPON THE RENEWAL OF A LEASE, THE OWNER OF SUCH HOUS-
ING ACCOMMODATION SHALL THEREAFTER CHARGE AND COLLECT A RENT FOR SUCH
HOUSING ACCOMMODATION THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF (I) THE PREVI-
OUSLY ESTABLISHED LEGAL REGULATED RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION,
AS ADJUSTED BY THE MOST RECENT APPLICABLE GUIDELINES INCREASES APPROVED
BY A RENT GUIDELINES BOARD ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY TENANT
PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR AND ANY OTHER INCREASES AUTHOR-
IZED BY LAW, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED LEGAL REGU-
LATED RENT WAS LAST CHARGED, (II) ANY RENT CHARGED TO AND PAID BY THE
TENANT IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
THAT WAS LESS THAN THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMO-
DATION, AS ADJUSTED BY SUCH MOST RECENT APPLICABLE GUIDELINES INCREASES
AND ANY OTHER INCREASES AUTHORIZED BY LAW, AND (III) ANY LOWER RENT THAT
IS REQUIRED BY SUCH REGULATORY AGREEMENT.
2. ANY RENT CHARGED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION IN
EXCESS OF THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT FOR A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SHALL NOT
BE REGISTERED AS THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY
TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR OR THE RENT STABILIZATION
LAW OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE. THE OWNER OF SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMO-
DATION SHALL CONTINUE TO REGISTER THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT AND ANY PREF-
ERENTIAL RENT CALCULATED ACCORDING TO APPLICABLE GUIDELINES INCREASES
APPLIED TO THE PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED LEGAL REGULATED RENT OR PREFEREN-
TIAL RENT, RESPECTIVELY, AND SEPARATELY REGISTER THE ACTUAL RENT CHARGED
TO THE TENANT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
3. WHERE THE OWNER OF A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION CHARGES AND COLLECTS A
RENT THAT EXCEEDS THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMO-
DATION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, SUCH OWNER SHALL
PROVIDE EVERY TENANT OF SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION WITH A NOTICE,
ATTACHED TO THE INITIAL LEASE AND ALL RENEWAL LEASES, ADVISING THE
TENANT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE THAT IF SUCH TENANT CEASES TO RECEIVE THE
RENTAL ASSISTANCE DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION FOR ANY
REASON, THE RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SHALL BE THE LEGAL REGU-
LATED RENT, OR ANY LOWER RENT AS REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
SECTION. THE OWNER SHALL DISCLOSE ANY APPLICABLE REGULATORY AGREEMENT
AND THE APPLICABILITY OF THIS SECTION IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING BROUGHT
AGAINST A TENANT WHOSE RENT IS GOVERNED BY THIS SECTION.
4. AN OWNER OF A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION WHO FAILS TO ADJUST A RENT UPON
THE TERMINATION OF ANY SUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION
ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL REFUND TO THE TENANT THE AMOUNT OF THE OVER-
CHARGE AND BE LIABLE FOR TREBLE DAMAGES. THE TENANT SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT
TO RECOVER SUCH OVERCHARGES AND DAMAGES FROM THE DATE OF THEIR ACCRUAL,
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN THE EMERGENCY
TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR OR THE RENT STABILIZATION
LAW OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE. THE TENANT MAY RAISE SUCH AN OVER-
CHARGE AS A CLAIM OR DEFENSE IN ANY COURT OF APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION,
OR IN A PROCEEDING AT THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL,
PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR
OR THE RENT STABILIZATION LAW OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE.
5. WHERE A REGULATORY AGREEMENT ALLOWS AN OWNER OF A HOUSING ACCOMMO-
DATION TO CHARGE AND COLLECT A RENT FOR THE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION THAT
EXCEEDS THE LEGAL REGULATED RENT FOR SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATION IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, THE STATE OR MUNICIPAL
AGENCY OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE
A. 8098 3
STATE, THAT HAS EXECUTED THE REGULATORY AGREEMENT SHALL AUDIT SUCH
OWNER'S RECORDS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS TO VERIFY THAT SUCH
OWNER IS COMPLYING WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.