Requires the division of housing and community renewal, in collaboration with the New York state office for the aging, to establish a publicly accessible online database of available senior housing units; requires the New York state office for the aging to maintain the senior housing unit database.
Summary
This bill would require the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, working with the New York State Office for the Aging, to create a publicly accessible online database of available senior housing units statewide. The database would be hosted on the Office for the Aging’s website and maintained there, with monthly updates based on information collected by local offices for the aging.
The database would cover a broad range of senior housing options, including designated senior housing, public and private units, independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities. For each listing, it would provide key details such as the address, monthly rent, accepted rental assistance like subsidies or vouchers, and owner contact information. The bill also amends the Elder Law to assign the Office for the Aging responsibility for maintaining the database.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to the Public Housing Law and a related duty to the Elder Law, creating a statewide senior housing information system and assigning ongoing administrative responsibilities to the Office for the Aging. It would require local area agencies on aging to gather vacancy information monthly and transmit it to the state office, which would then update the database monthly and make the information available to the public. The measure would affect state housing and aging agencies, local aging offices, senior housing providers, and older adults seeking housing options.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill in committee, with unanimous Senate Aging Committee votes of 7-0 and 6-0. No committee transcript is available, but the recorded votes indicate the proposal was viewed favorably and without recorded opposition at the committee stage. The bill’s focus on improving access to housing information for older adults likely contributed to its positive reception.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials, and the committee votes show no recorded dissent. Potential issues that could arise, though not reflected in the record provided, include the administrative burden on local offices to collect and update vacancy data, the accuracy and timeliness of listings, and the scope of housing types included in the database. The bill appears aimed at improving transparency and access rather than changing eligibility rules or housing subsidies.