New York Assembly Bill A00903

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Relates to providing a rent increase exemption to persons with disabilities.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s real property tax law to expand and clarify rent increase exemption eligibility for households headed by a person with a disability. It updates the income thresholds and eligibility rules used for disability-related rent increase exemptions under sections 467-b and 467-c, including separate treatment for recipients of SSI, SSDI, Medicaid-based disability determinations, and veterans’ disability pension or compensation benefits. The bill also allows income to be adjusted when the head of household retires before the relevant income year, by excluding salary or earnings and projecting retirement income for the year. The measure is structured to preserve existing local-option authority while giving municipalities a clearer framework for administering these exemptions. It provides that municipalities that have already adopted the older version of the exemption rules do not need to reenact local laws if they choose to keep using the original provisions. The bill also coordinates with prior statutory expiration and reversion language so that the amended provisions take effect when the earlier versions lapse. In practical terms, the bill would affect local property tax abatement and rent increase exemption programs for qualifying disabled tenants, potentially broadening access for some households and standardizing how income is measured for others. It would primarily impact municipalities that administer these exemptions, as well as disabled renters, SSI/SSDI recipients, veterans receiving disability benefits, and households with a recently retired head of household. The overall sentiment suggested by the bill’s framing is supportive of expanding or preserving housing affordability protections for people with disabilities. There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so no direct opposition or support statements are available. The bill’s structure, however, suggests the main policy tension is between expanding eligibility and preserving municipal discretion over whether to adopt the more generous local exemption rules. Notable points of contention are likely to center on the different income caps for different disability categories, the administrative complexity of verifying eligibility, and whether municipalities should be required to update local laws or may continue using existing provisions. Another possible issue is the fiscal effect on local governments, since broader exemptions can reduce tax revenue or increase the number of households eligible for rent increase relief.

Impact

The bill amends sections 467-b and 467-c of the Real Property Tax Law to revise the disability-based rent increase exemption framework. It changes income eligibility standards for households headed by persons with disabilities, including SSI, SSDI, Medicaid-disability, and veterans’ disability beneficiaries, and it adds a retirement-income adjustment rule for applicants whose head of household retires before the application period. The bill preserves local-option implementation, but updates the statutory criteria municipalities may use when adopting or continuing these exemptions.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to summarize. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a tenant-protection and affordability bill intended to help people with disabilities remain in housing despite rent increases. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided materials suggests no visible controversy in the available record, though the policy itself may raise fiscal and administrative concerns for local governments.

Contention

The main points of contention are likely to be the income thresholds and whether they are too restrictive or too generous for different disability categories, especially the separate treatment of SSI, SSDI/Medicaid-based disability, and veterans’ disability benefits. Municipalities may also be concerned about administrative burden, verification of disability status and income, and the revenue impact of expanding exemptions. Another possible issue is the balance between statewide standardization and local control, since the bill preserves municipal discretion to adopt or continue using the exemption rules.