Requires owners of multiple dwellings in cities with a population of one million or more to designate a secure, locked, monitored space, accessible only to staff, residents, or delivery people, for packages to be delivered to.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A263
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the multiple dwelling law, in relation to requiring
owners of multiple dwellings in cities with a population of one million
or more to designate a secure space for packages to be delivered to
PURPOSE:
This legislation will reduce instances of package theft by requiring
packages in certain multiple dwellings to be left in a package room or
other secure space accessible only to residents, delivery persons and
building staff.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the section heading of section 57 of the multiple
dwelling law and adds a new subdivision 3.
Section two establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Throughout the pandemic and before, the increase in online shopping has
led to a dramatic increase in package theft. A piece in the February 21,
2021 issue of The New York Times described current trends and referenced
a December 2019 analysis, which found that in New York City alone, more
than 90,000 packages are stolen or go missing each day without explana-
tion. This figure is an increase of approximately 20% from just four
years ago.
Retailers have begun to offer enhanced tracking services and even
created delivery sites for customers to pick up packages, such as Amazon
lockers. Consumers have taken steps such as installing security cameras
and video doorbells, but package theft continues to grow. For consumers
whose packages are stolen, there is often little recourse besides
contacting the retailer to request a refund, even when the package was
stolen inside their apartment building. This legislation will require
multiple dwellings in New York City to maintain a dedicated package room
or other secure area for packages to be left, accessible only to resi-
dents, building staff and delivery personnel. If a package room cannot
be maintained, then building staff would be required to deliver packages
left within the building to residents' doors. Buildings that fail to
comply with such requirements will be responsible for the replacement
cost of any item lost or stolen.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days.
