Assembly Bill A6925

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6925
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 18, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. ANDERSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Housing
 
 AN  ACT amend the public housing law, in relation to enacting the "NYCHA
   - innovating neighborhoods  through  viable  efficient  solutions  for
   tenants act"; and making an appropriation therefor

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "NYCHA - innovating neighborhoods through viable efficient solutions
 for tenants act" or the "NYCHA INVEST act".
   § 2. The public housing law is amended by adding a new section 14-a to
 read as follows:
   §  14-A.  VACANT  UNIT  REHABILITATION PROGRAM. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING  MEANINGS,  IN
 RESPECT TO UNITS:
   (A) MINIMAL DAMAGE SHALL MEAN:
   (I) BASIC REPAIRS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (1)  BASIC APPLIANCE REPLACEMENT OR REPLACEMENTS, INCLUDING A STOVE OR
 REFRIGERATOR; OR
   (2) MINOR CARPENTRY OR REPAIR WORK, INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,
 CABINET  REPLACEMENTS,  PAINTING,  THE  ADDITION OF CHILD WINDOW GUARDS,
 PATCHING OF WALLS, TILE/FLOORING REPLACEMENT IN  KITCHENS  OR  BATHROOMS
 AND LIGHT FIXTURE INSTALLATIONS;
   (II)  NO SEVERE STRUCTURAL, HEALTH, OR SAFETY ISSUES; SUCH UNITS SHALL
 BE:
   (1) MOLD- AND ASBESTOS-FREE WITH NO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS;
   (2) HABITABLE WITH WORKING PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS; AND
   (3) PEST AND RODENT TREATED AREAS;
   (B) SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE SHALL MEAN MAJOR SYSTEM REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS
 ARE NECESSARY, BUT SUCH UNIT IS STILL STRUCTURALLY SOUND. SUCH UNITS MAY
 HAVE OR REQUIRE:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10878-01-5
              

 A. 6925                             2
 
   (I) SERIOUS BUT REPAIRABLE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES,  INCLUDING,
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PIPE REPLACEMENTS AND REWIRING;
   (II)   EXTENSIVE  FLOORING  DAMAGE  REQUIRING  COMPLETE  REPLACEMENTS,
 INCLUDING ASBESTOS ABATEMENT;
   (III) PARTIAL WALL OR CEILING  DAMAGE  REQUIRING  REPLACEMENT  DUE  TO
 WATER DAMAGE;
   (IV)  SEVERE  BUT LOCALIZED MOLD REMEDIATION NEEDS, PROVIDED SUCH MOLD
 IS REMEDIABLE; AND
   (V) BATHROOM AND KITCHEN FIXTURE REPLACEMENTS BEYOND BASIC  APPLIANCE,
 CABINET, AND PAINTING NEEDS; AND
   (C)  MAJOR  STRUCTURAL  DAMAGE  SHALL MEAN SEVERE DAMAGE THAT REQUIRES
 EXTENSIVE REPAIRS TO  MAKE  THEM  HABITABLE.  SUCH  UNITS  MAY  HAVE  OR
 REQUIRE:
   (I)  COMPROMISED  STRUCTURAL  INTEGRITY REQUIRING FOUNDATION, WALL, OR
 CEILING REINFORCEMENT;
   (II) SEVERE WATER DAMAGE, INCLUDING, BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  COLLAPSED
 CEILINGS OR WALLS;
   (III)  FULL  REWIRING  OF  ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS DUE TO FIRE OR LONG-TERM
 NEGLECT;
   (IV) COMPLETE PLUMBING OVERHAULS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED  TO,  NEW
 PIPING REQUIRED THROUGHOUT THE UNIT;
   (V)  EXTENSIVE  MOLD  AND/OR ASBESTOS ABATEMENT REQUIRING PROFESSIONAL
 REMEDIATION;
   (VI) SIGNIFICANT HVAC REPAIRS, INCLUDING, BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  FULL
 HEATING SYSTEM REPLACEMENTS; AND
   (VII)  SEVERE  PEST  INFESTATIONS  THAT REQUIRE COMPREHENSIVE EXTERMI-
 NATION BEFORE REHABILITATION CAN BEGIN.
   2. (A) THE DIVISION OF  HOUSING  AND  COMMUNITY  RENEWAL,  HEREINAFTER
 REFERRED  TO  AS  THE  DIVISION,  SHALL PROVIDE TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE
 MILLION DOLLARS DIRECTLY TO THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY, HEREIN-
 AFTER REFERRED TO AS NYCHA, TO REHABILITATE VACANT UNITS.  SUCH  FUNDING
 SHALL BE PROVIDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE FOLLOWING
 MANNER:
   (I)  BATCH  ONE:  TWENTY-FIVE  MILLION  DOLLARS FOR FIVE HUNDRED UNITS
 CATEGORIZED AS HAVING MINIMAL DAMAGE, AS DEFINED  IN  PARAGRAPH  (A)  OF
 SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  THIS  SECTION.  A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FIFTY THOUSAND
 DOLLARS SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THE REHABILITATION OF EACH UNIT.
   (II) BATCH TWO: ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS  FOR  ONE  THOUSAND  UNITS
 CATEGORIZED AS HAVING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF
 SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF THIS SECTION. A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED THOU-
 SAND DOLLARS SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THE REHABILITATION OF EACH UNIT.
   (III) BATCH THREE: ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS FOR ONE  THOUSAND
 UNITS CATEGORIZED AS HAVING MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, AS DEFINED IN PARA-
 GRAPH  (C)  OF  SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION. A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ONE
 HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THE  REHABILITATION
 OF EACH UNIT.
   (B)  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  NOT  PROVIDE  FUNDING UNTIL NYCHA SUBMITS A
 DETAILED PLAN FOR THE UTILIZATION OF SUCH FUNDS TO THE DIVISION FOR EACH
 BATCH LISTED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. FUNDING FOR A  SUBSE-
 QUENT  BATCH  SHALL  NOT  BE  PROVIDED UNTIL THE PREVIOUS BATCH HAS BEEN
 FULLY UTILIZED AND THE DIVISION HAS CONFIRMED SUCH BATCH, AND THE  ASSO-
 CIATED  UNITS  ARE  COMPLETE, AT WHICH TIME A DETAILED PLAN FOR THE NEXT
 BATCH SHALL BE PROVIDED. THE REQUIRED DETAILS OF  SUCH  PLANS  SHALL  BE
 DETERMINED  BY  THE DIVISION BUT SHALL AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE THE PROPERTY
 DETAILS OF EACH UNIT, AN ITEMIZED LIST OF THE DAMAGE SOUGHT TO BE  FIXED
 WITHIN EACH UNIT, AND THE COST OF SUCH REHABILITATION.
 A. 6925                             3
 
   (C)  IF A UNIT SELECTED FOR ANY BATCH DOES NOT UTILIZE ALL FUNDS ALLO-
 CATED FOR SUCH UNIT, SUCH  ADDITIONAL  FUNDS  SHALL  BE  REALLOCATED  TO
 ANOTHER UNIT IN THE SAME BATCH.
   3.  NYCHA  SHALL SUBMIT QUARTERLY FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE REPORTS TO
 THE DIVISION.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  DETERMINE  THE  SPECIFIC  CRITERIAL
 REQUIRED FOR SUCH REPORTS.
   4.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  DESIGNATE  A  LIAISON TO MONITOR AND ADDRESS
 NYCHA'S UTILIZATION OF ALLOCATED FUNDS. ANY DELAYS  SHALL  BE  ADDRESSED
 AND A JUSTIFICATION FOR DELAY SHALL BE PROVIDED TO SUCH LIAISON.
   §  3.  The  sum of three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000), or so
 much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the division
 of housing and community renewal out of any moneys in the state treasury
 in the general fund to the credit of the division, not otherwise  appro-
 priated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of carrying out
 the  provisions  of  this act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit
 and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by  the
 commissioner  of  the  division  of housing and community renewal in the
 manner prescribed by law.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such date.