Establishes a senior housing task force for the purposes of conducting a state-wide assessment of senior housing needs taking into consideration the various geographical areas and different needs of the seniors in those areas and resources available in those different areas.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3574
SPONSOR: Cymbrowitz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public housing law, in relation to establishing a
senior housing task force
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a task force that would analyze senior housing options and
develop strategies to improve housing options for seniors citizens as
they age.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill would amend the Public Housing Law by adding a
new section 12-A, which would establish a senior housing task force
within the division of housing and community renewal (HCR). The task-
force would be comprised of 16 members, including representatives from
the following state agencies: HCR, the state office for the aging
(SOFA), the department of health, the office of mental health, the
department of economic development, the office for people with develop-
ment disabilities, the division of protective services for adults of the
office of children and family services, and the New York City department
for the aging. The remaining eight members would be appointed by leaders
in the Assembly and Senate. The bill would require the taskforce to meet
once annually and conduct an annual statewide assessment of senior hous-
ing needs, to be projected over the next five years, and would include a
review of innovative approaches that have been successfully implemented
in New York State and other states. The taskforce would be required,
every January first, to submit an annual report of its findings, recom-
mendations, and state plan.
Section two of the bill sets the effective date at 90 days following
enactment.
JUSTIFICATION:
One of the most pressing needs of seniors in our state is housing.
According to a recent study by the American Association of Retired
Persons (AARP), most seniors would like to age in their own home.
Unfortunately, many of our seniors cannot age in their homes because
their current residence has too many stairs, lacks wheelchair accessi-
bility, or is too great of a distance from their family and caregivers.
As a result, many seniors are faced with the difficult decision of .
whether to enter an elder care facility, such as a nursing home,
assisted living facility or an independent living facility. In order to
appropriately plan for these circumstances, this legislation creates the
senior housing task force to analyze the issue of senior housing.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-20 A.5121 Referred to Aging
2017-18 A.6752 Referred to Ways & Means Similar to A.5335.
2016: A.5335 - Referred to Aging.
2015: A.5335 - Referred to Aging.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 90th day following its enactment.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3574
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ, BARRON, ASHBY -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to establishing a
senior housing task force
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a new section
2 12-a to read as follows:
3 § 12-a. Senior housing task force. 1. There is hereby established
4 within the division of housing and community renewal a senior housing
5 task force which shall meet at least once annually in different
6 geographical areas of the state. All members shall be provided with
7 notice reasonably in advance of each meeting with date, time and
8 location of such meeting. Task force members may use videoconferencing
9 for attendance and participation. The task force shall consist of
10 sixteen members and shall include representatives from the following
11 state agencies: the division of housing and community renewal, the
12 office for the aging, the department of health, the office of mental
13 health, the department of economic development, the office for people
14 with developmental disabilities, the division of protective services for
15 adults of the office of children and family services, and the New York
16 city department for the aging. Of the eight remaining members, three
17 shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, three shall be
18 appointed by the temporary president of the senate, one shall be
19 appointed by the minority leader of the assembly and one shall be
20 appointed by the minority leader of the senate, and shall broadly repre-
21 sent housing and senior citizen groups from all geographic areas of the
22 state including service providers, associations, advocates, proprietors,
23 and consumers of for-profit and not-for-profit senior housing options
24 including but not limited to: assisted living facilities, adult homes,
25 skilled nursing facilities, independent living facilities, naturally
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07675-01-1
A. 3574 2
1 occurring retirement communities, neighborhood naturally occurring
2 retirement communities, and continuing care retirement communities.
3 Members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be
4 reimbursed for travel and other expenses actually and necessarily
5 incurred in the performance of their duties. The task force shall be
6 co-chaired by the commissioner of the division of housing and community
7 renewal and the director of the office for the aging. The task force is
8 responsible for conducting an annual state-wide assessment of senior
9 housing needs taking into consideration the various geographical areas
10 and different needs of the seniors in those areas and resources avail-
11 able in those different areas and project those needs over the next five
12 years; other factors which shall be taken into consideration are: health
13 care needs of seniors, the long term care needs of seniors, financial
14 resources available to seniors, or needed by seniors, and transportation
15 needs of seniors. The assessment shall include, but not be limited to, a
16 review of innovative approaches successfully being implemented in New
17 York state and in other states and their potential for implementation or
18 expansion in this state. Such assessment shall also develop a plan for
19 providing quality senior housing to meet the projected needs of seniors
20 located in different geographical areas of the state.
21 2. The task force shall issue a report by each January first outlining
22 its findings, recommendations, and the state plan. The report shall be
23 delivered to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary
24 president of the senate, the chairpersons of the housing, aging and
25 health committees in the assembly, and the chairpersons of the housing,
26 construction and community development, aging and health committees in
27 the senate.
28 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
29 have become a law.
