BILL NUMBER: S2470

SPONSOR: LIU
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to implementing
automatic enrollment for the tax abatement program for rent-controlled
and rent-regulated property occupied by senior citizens

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To allow municipalities and localities that have a senior citizen rent
increase exemption (SCRIE) program to establish an automatic enrollment
program for eligible seniors to be automatically enrolled or automat-
ically re-enrolled in the program.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends Section 467-b of the real property tax law by adding a
new Subdivision 14. The new subdivision allows localities and munici-
palities to enact laws or resolutions that allow for the supervising
agency of their senior citizen rent increase exemption program (SCRIE)
              

to automatically enroll eligible seniors under their jurisdiction into
the program. The subdivision also allows the Commissioner of the NYS
Department of Taxation and Finance to provide the supervising agency
with the appropriate information to implement such a program and provide
automatic enrollees with a check box, so that they may be able to opt-
out.

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Currently, several counties in New York State have established Senior
Citizen Rent Increase (SCRIE) programs. These programs help many low to
moderate-income seniors remain in their apartments by assisting them in
paying their yearly rent increase if they are spending more than a third
of their monthly income on rent. This is done by providing the renter's
landlord with a property tax abatement for the cost of the Increase.
Programs like SCRIE serve a vital purpose for all seniors that qualify,
but many eligible seniors do not know about the program and are unable
to reap its benefits. Also, seniors may not remember to re-enroll in
these programs.

This legislation gives localities and municipalities the ability to
establish an automatic enrollment and re-enrollment program so that all
eligible seniors are able to enroll in this beneficial program. This
will provide an opportunity for localities to set up a program that will
expand access to all seniors who qualify and need to take part in this
program. Also, this bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of
Taxation and Finance to provide tax information to localities that
establish an SCRIE automatic enrollment and re-enrollment program so
that the localities can use that Information, along with the list of
rent-re- gulated units that receive from the NYS Division of Homes and
Community Renewal (DHCR) to identify eligible seniors to be enrolled in
this program. Lastly, this bill would allow seniors to opt-out of having
their tax information provided to the locality for an automatic enroll-
ment and re-enrollment program for SCRIE through providing them with the
opportunity to check off a box on their state income taxes.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

01/05/22 REFERRED TO AGING

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:


 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Takes effect on January first of the succeeding year.