This bill would require the Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (HRA) to create a list of “inclusive landlords” who (i) have affirmatively agreed not to discriminate against tenants and potential tenants based on their lawful source of income and have not been determined to have done so in the previous two years and (ii) have an adequate to excellent record of housing maintenance. HRA would be required to proactively ask landlords whether they would like to participate, and participation would be voluntary.
- Filed (End of Session)
History
Int. No. 1582
By Council Members Torres, Barron and Gentile
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a list of landlords who affirmatively agree not to discriminate based on lawful source of income
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-139 to read as follows:
§ 21-139 List of inclusive landlords. a. For purposes of this section, the term “landlord” means an owner, as such term is defined by paragraph 45 of subdivision a of section 27-2004.
b. The commissioner of social services shall establish a list of inclusive landlords.
c. To be eligible to participate in such list, a landlord:
1. Shall affirmatively agree not to discriminate against any tenant, prospective tenant or putative applicant for a housing accommodation based on such tenant’s, prospective tenant’s or putative applicant’s lawful source of income, as such term is defined in subdivision 25 of section 8-102.
2. May not have been found liable within the previous two years for discrimination based on source of income pursuant to section 8-107. Where a landlord participating in the list is found liable for discrimination based on source of income pursuant to section 8-107, the commissioner of social services shall remove such landlord from the list.
3. May not have an aggregate number of open hazardous and immediately hazardous violations of the housing maintenance code that exceeds an average of one violation per dwelling unit for any individual property the landlord owns.
4. May not be subject to an unresolved order to correct an underlying condition pursuant to subdivision c of 27-2091.
d. On at least an annual basis, the commissioner of social services, in a manner selected by such commissioner in consultation with the commissioner of housing preservation and development, shall proactively ask landlords in the city whether they would like to participate in the list of inclusive landlords. Upon request by the commissioner of social services, the commissioner of housing preservation and development shall provide any contact information or other information in the possession of the department of housing preservation and development that is necessary to comply with this subdivision.
e. Participation by landlords in the list created pursuant to this section shall be voluntary.
f. The commissioner of social services shall consult with the commissioner of housing preservation and development in determining whether a landlord who has expressed interest in participating in such list satisfies the housing maintenance requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 of subdivision c of this section.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.
WCJ
LS #7252
4/19/2017 3:17 PM