S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8887
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 25, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. MARTINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
   Community Development
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seven-
   ty-four, the emergency housing rent control law and the administrative
   code of the city of New  York,  in  relation  to  establishing  tenant
   eligibility for certain housing accommodations
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 10 of section 4 of chapter 576 of the laws of 1974,
 constituting the emergency tenant protection act  of  nineteen  seventy-
 four, is amended by adding a new subdivision d to read as follows:
   D.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISIONS OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY PERSON,
 OR PERSONS, WHOSE INCOME EXCEEDS ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF AREA
 MEDIAN INCOME SHALL BE INELIGIBLE TO OCCUPY  ANY  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION
 SUBJECT TO THIS ACT.
   (1)  THE DIVISION OF HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO
 IMPLEMENT THIS SUBDIVISION, PROVIDED HOWEVER, SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS
 SHALL INCLUDE HOLDING THE OWNER, OR SUCH OWNER'S AGENT, OF  THE  HOUSING
 ACCOMMODATION HARMLESS FOR ANY VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (2)  A TENANT FOUND BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO HAVE WILL-
 FULLY VIOLATED THIS SUBDIVISION,  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  BY
 PROVIDING THE OWNER, OR SUCH OWNER'S AGENT FALSE INCOME DOCUMENTATION IN
 AN  EFFORT  TO  OBTAIN  TENANCY  OF  THE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, SHALL BE
 SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY OF
 ILLEGAL OCCUPANCY, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT A TENANT WHO  CURRENTLY  OCCU-
 PIES  A  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION  SUBJECT  TO  THIS ACT, AND WHOSE INCOME
 EXCEEDS THE THRESHOLD PROVIDED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM
 CIVIL PENALTIES AND SHALL NOT BE EVICTED ON THE GROUNDS OF  A  VIOLATION
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION
 OF  THE  MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 SUBDIVISION.  AFTER A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION  OF
 THE  LEASE  AGREEMENT,  CONTINUED  VIOLATION  OF THIS SUBDIVISION BY THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              
             
                          
                                                                            LBD14991-01-4
 S. 8887                             2
 TENANT, AS DETERMINED  BY  A  COURT  OF  COMPETENT  JURISDICTION,  SHALL
 CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   (3)  A TENANT WHO LAWFULLY OCCUPIES A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SUBJECT TO
 THIS ACT, AND WHOSE  INCOME  INCREASED  ABOVE  ONE  HUNDRED  TWENTY-FIVE
 PERCENT  OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES AND
 SHALL NOT BE EVICTED ON THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 FOR  A  PERIOD  OF  THREE  YEARS  FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION OF THE MOST
 RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE INCREASE IN INCOME.  AFTER A  PERIOD
 OF  THREE  YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE  OF  EXECUTION OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT,
 CONTINUED VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION BY THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED  BY
 A   COURT  OF  COMPETENT  JURISDICTION,  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  GROUNDS  FOR
 EVICTION.
   (4) ANY PERSON WHO INHERITS TENANCY THROUGH SUCCESSORSHIP  AS  DEFINED
 IN  SECTION  24-04 OF TITLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE RULES OF THE CITY OF NEW
 YORK, MUST MEET THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS DEFINED  IN  THIS
 SUBDIVISION,  IN  ORDER  TO  OCCUPY THE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.  NOTWITH-
 STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW, SHOULD SAID PERSON  BE  INELIGIBLE
 AS  DEFINED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, SUCH APPLICATION FOR TENANCY BY SUCCES-
 SORSHIP SHALL BE DENIED.
   § 2. Section 10 of chapter 274 of the laws of 1946,  constituting  the
 emergency  housing rent control law, is amended by adding a new subdivi-
 sion 6 to read as follows:
   6. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISIONS OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY  PERSON,
 OR PERSONS, WHOSE INCOME EXCEEDS ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF AREA
 MEDIAN  INCOME  SHALL  BE INELIGIBLE TO OCCUPY ANY HOUSING ACCOMMODATION
 SUBJECT TO THIS ACT.
   (A) THE DIVISION OF HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL AND THE DEPARTMENT  OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO
 IMPLEMENT THIS SUBDIVISION, PROVIDED HOWEVER, SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS
 SHALL  INCLUDE  HOLDING THE OWNER, OR SUCH OWNER'S AGENT, OF THE HOUSING
 ACCOMMODATION HARMLESS FOR ANY VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (B) A TENANT FOUND BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO HAVE  WILL-
 FULLY  VIOLATED  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, BY
 PROVIDING THE OWNER, OR SUCH OWNER'S AGENT FALSE INCOME DOCUMENTATION IN
 AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN TENANCY  OF  THE  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION,  SHALL  BE
 SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY OF
 ILLEGAL  OCCUPANCY,  PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT A TENANT WHO CURRENTLY OCCU-
 PIES A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SUBJECT  TO  THIS  ACT,  AND  WHOSE  INCOME
 EXCEEDS THE THRESHOLD PROVIDED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM
 CIVIL  PENALTIES  AND SHALL NOT BE EVICTED ON THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION
 OF THE MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE  OF  THIS
 SUBDIVISION.   AFTER A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION OF
 THE LEASE AGREEMENT, CONTINUED VIOLATION  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION  BY  THE
 TENANT,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  A  COURT  OF  COMPETENT JURISDICTION, SHALL
 CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   (C) A TENANT WHO LAWFULLY OCCUPIES A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SUBJECT  TO
 THIS  ACT,  AND  WHOSE  INCOME  INCREASED  ABOVE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE
 PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES  AND
 SHALL  NOT  BE EVICTED ON THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION
 FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FROM THE  DATE  OF  EXECUTION  OF  THE  MOST
 RECENT  LEASE AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE INCREASE IN INCOME.  AFTER A PERIOD
 OF THREE YEARS FROM THE  DATE  OF  EXECUTION  OF  THE  LEASE  AGREEMENT,
 CONTINUED  VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION BY THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED BY
 A  COURT  OF  COMPETENT  JURISDICTION,  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  GROUNDS   FOR
 EVICTION.
 S. 8887                             3
 
   (D)  ANY  PERSON WHO INHERITS TENANCY THROUGH SUCCESSORSHIP AS DEFINED
 IN SECTION 24-04 OF TITLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE RULES OF THE CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK,  MUST  MEET THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS DEFINED IN THIS
 SUBDIVISION, IN ORDER TO OCCUPY THE  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION.    NOTWITH-
 STANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW, SHOULD SAID PERSON BE INELIGIBLE
 AS DEFINED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, SUCH APPLICATION FOR TENANCY BY  SUCCES-
 SORSHIP SHALL BE DENIED.
   §  3.  The  administrative  code of the city of New York is amended by
 adding a new section 26-418 to read as follows:
   § 26-418 MEANS TESTING.   A.  THE  DIVISION  OF  HOMES  AND  COMMUNITY
 RENEWAL  AND  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  TAXATION AND FINANCE SHALL PROMULGATE
 RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY  TO  IMPLEMENT  THIS  SECTION,  PROVIDED
 HOWEVER,  SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE HOLDING THE OWNER, OR
 SUCH OWNER'S AGENT,  OF  THE  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION  HARMLESS  FOR  ANY
 VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION.
   B. A TENANT FOUND, BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION, TO HAVE WILL-
 FULLY  VIOLATED THIS SECTION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, BY PROVIDING
 THE OWNER, OR SUCH OWNER'S AGENT FALSE INCOME DOCUMENTATION IN AN EFFORT
 TO OBTAIN TENANCY OF THE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, SHALL BE  SUBJECT  TO  A
 CIVIL  PENALTY  NOT  TO  EXCEED  FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY OF ILLEGAL
 OCCUPANCY, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT A  TENANT  WHO  CURRENTLY  OCCUPIES  A
 HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION SUBJECT TO THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF
 NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR, AND WHOSE INCOME EXCEEDS THE  THRESHOLD  PROVIDED
 IN  THIS  SECTION, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES AND SHALL NOT BE
 EVICTED ON THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION FOR  A  PERIOD  OF
 TEN  YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION OF THE MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT
 PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.   AFTER  A  PERIOD  OF  TEN
 YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE  OF  EXECUTION  OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, CONTINUED
 VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION BY THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED  BY  A  COURT  OF
 COMPETENT JURISDICTION, SHALL CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   C.  A  TENANT WHO LAWFULLY OCCUPIES A HOUSING ACCOMMODATION SUBJECT TO
 THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR, AND  WHOSE
 INCOME  INCREASED  ABOVE  ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN
 INCOME, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES AND SHALL NOT BE EVICTED ON
 THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION FOR  A  PERIOD  OF  THREE
 YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE  OF  EXECUTION OF THE MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT
 PRIOR TO THE INCREASE IN INCOME.  AFTER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FROM THE
 DATE OF EXECUTION OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, CONTINUED  VIOLATION  OF  THIS
 SECTION  BY  THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDIC-
 TION, SHALL CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   D. ANY PERSON WHO INHERITS TENANCY THROUGH SUCCESSORSHIP AS DEFINED IN
 SECTION 24-04 OF TITLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE RULES  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK,  MUST  MEET THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS DEFINED IN THIS
 SECTION, IN ORDER TO OCCUPY THE HOUSING  ACCOMMODATION.  NOTWITHSTANDING
 ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW, SHOULD SAID PERSON BE INELIGIBLE AS DEFINED
 IN  THIS SECTION, SUCH APPLICATION FOR TENANCY BY SUCCESSORSHIP SHALL BE
 DENIED.
   § 4. Section 26-512 of the administrative code of the city of New York
 is amended by adding a new paragraph h to read as follows:
   H. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISIONS OF LAW TO  THE  CONTRARY,  BEGINNING
 JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN, DWELLING UNITS SUBJECT TO THIS
 CHAPTER  AS PRESCRIBED IN SECTION 26-504 OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL BE RENTED
 TO PERSONS WHOSE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME IS LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED  TWENTY-
 FIVE PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
   (1)  THE DIVISION OF HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO
 S. 8887                             4
 
 IMPLEMENT THIS PARAGRAPH, PROVIDED HOWEVER, SUCH RULES  AND  REGULATIONS
 SHALL  INCLUDE  HOLDING  THE OWNER OF THE DWELLING UNIT HARMLESS FOR ANY
 VIOLATION OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
   (2)  A TENANT FOUND BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO HAVE WILL-
 FULLY VIOLATED THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO
 EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS  PER  DAY  OF  ILLEGAL  OCCUPANCY,  PROVIDED
 HOWEVER, THAT A TENANT WHO CURRENTLY OCCUPIES A DWELLING UNIT SUBJECT TO
 THE  EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR, AND WHOSE
 INCOME EXCEEDS THE THRESHOLD PROVIDED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, SHALL BE EXEMPT
 FROM CIVIL PENALTIES AND SHALL NOT  BE  EVICTED  ON  THE  GROUNDS  OF  A
 VIOLATION  OF  THIS PARAGRAPH FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF
 EXECUTION OF THE MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE
 OF THIS PARAGRAPH.   AFTER A PERIOD  OF  TEN  YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE  OF
 EXECUTION  OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, CONTINUED VIOLATION OF THIS PARAGRAPH
 BY THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION, SHALL
 CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   (3) A TENANT WHO LAWFULLY OCCUPIES A  DWELLING  UNIT  SUBJECT  TO  THE
 EMERGENCY  TENANT  PROTECTION  ACT  OF  NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR, AND WHOSE
 INCOME INCREASED ABOVE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT  OF  AREA  MEDIAN
 INCOME, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES AND SHALL NOT BE EVICTED ON
 THE GROUNDS OF A VIOLATION OF THIS PARAGRAPH FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS
 FROM  THE DATE OF EXECUTION OF THE MOST RECENT LEASE AGREEMENT.  AFTER A
 PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF EXECUTION OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT,
 CONTINUED VIOLATION OF THIS PARAGRAPH BY THE TENANT, AS DETERMINED BY  A
 COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION, SHALL CONSTITUTE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.
   (4)  ANY  PERSON WHO INHERITS TENANCY THROUGH SUCCESSORSHIP AS DEFINED
 IN SECTION 24-04 OF TITLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE RULES OF THE CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK,  MUST  MEET THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS DEFINED IN THIS
 PARAGRAPH, IN ORDER TO OCCUPY THE  DWELLING  UNIT.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY
 OTHER  PROVISIONS OF LAW, SHOULD SAID PERSON BE INELIGIBLE AS DEFINED IN
 THIS PARAGRAPH, SUCH APPLICATION FOR TENANCY BY SUCCESSORSHIP  SHALL  BE
 DENIED.
   §  5. The division of homes and community renewal, in conjunction with
 the department of taxation and finance, shall promulgate rules and regu-
 lations necessary for the implementation of this act.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that  the  addi-
 tion  of  section 26-418 of the city rent and rehabilitation law made by
 section three of this act shall remain in full force and effect only  as
 long  as  the  public  emergency requiring the regulation and control of
 residential rents and evictions continues, as provided in subdivision  3
 of  section  1  of  the  local  emergency  housing rent control act; and
 provided, further that the amendments to section 26-512 of chapter 4  of
 title  26  of  the  administrative  code of the city of new York made by
 section four of this act shall expire on  the  same  date  as  such  law
 expires  and  shall  not  affect  the expiration of such law as provided
 under section 26-520 of such law.