S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9372--A
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 6, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Social Services -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the payment of
shelter and rent arrears
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
131-ww to read as follows:
§ 131-WW. SHELTER ARREARS. 1. APPLICANTS MAY RECEIVE AN EMERGENCY
GRANT TO PAY FOR RENT, PROPERTY TAXES OR MORTGAGE ARREARS ONCE EVERY
YEAR UNLESS THE DISTRICT DETERMINES AT ITS DISCRETION THAT ADDITIONAL
SHELTER ARREARS PAYMENTS ARE NECESSARY BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUM-
STANCES.
2. IN AN APPLICATION FOR AN ALLOWANCE TO PAY SHELTER ARREARS, AN
APPLICANT SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO REPAY SHEL-
TER EXPENSES, RENT, PROPERTY TAXES, OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS GOING FORWARD,
NOR SHALL A DISTRICT CONSIDER AN APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO MAKE PAYMENTS
UNDER ANY REPAYMENT AGREEMENT.
3. UNREPAID SHELTER EXPENSES SHALL HAVE NO BEARING ON AN APPLICANT'S
ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL LOANS.
4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THIS
SECTION.
§ 2. Section 131-w of the social services law, as added by chapter 41
of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
§ 131-w. Limitations in the payment of rent arrears. Districts shall
not provide assistance to pay rent arrears, property taxes or mortgage
arrears for persons not eligible for home relief, aid to dependent chil-
dren, emergency assistance to needy families with children or emergency
assistance for aged, blind and disabled persons, except to persons who
are without income or resources immediately available to meet the emer-
gency need[,] AND whose gross household income does not exceed [one
hundred twenty-five] TWO HUNDRED percent of the federal income official
poverty line [and who sign a repayment agreement agreeing to repay the
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14611-05-4
A. 9372--A 2
assistance in a period not to exceed twelve months. The districts shall
enforce the repayment agreements by any legal method available to a
creditor, in addition to any rights it has pursuant to this chapter].
The department shall promulgate regulations to implement this section
which shall, among other things, [establish standards for the contents
of repayment agreements and] establish standards to ensure that assist-
ance is provided only in emergency circumstances.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 131-r of the social services law, as
added by chapter 81 of the laws of 1995 and as designated by chapter 340
of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
1. Any person who is receiving or has received, within the previous
[ten] FIVE years, public assistance pursuant to the provisions of this
article, and who wins a lottery prize of [six hundred] TWENTY THOUSAND
dollars or more shall reimburse the department from the winnings, for
all such public assistance benefits paid to such person during the
previous [ten] FIVE years; provided, however, that such crediting to the
department shall in no event exceed fifty percent of the amount of the
lottery prize. The commissioner shall enter into an agreement with the
director of the lottery, pursuant to section sixteen hundred thirteen-b
of the tax law, for the crediting of lottery prizes against public
assistance benefits. Nothing herein shall limit the ability of a social
services district to make recoveries pursuant to section [104] ONE
HUNDRED FOUR or section [106-b] ONE HUNDRED SIX-B of this chapter.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.