Int. No. 571

By Council Members Brewer, Ayala, Restler and Hudson

A Local Law in relation to the establishment of a Wards Island affordable housing task force

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:

City. The term “city” means the city of New York.

Task force. The term “task force” means the Wards Island affordable housing task force established by this local law.

§ 2. Task force established. There is hereby established a task force to be known as the Wards Island affordable housing task force.

§ 3. Duties. a. The task force shall study the feasibility of building affordable housing on Wards Island and shall make recommendations for legislation and policy in furtherance of that objective.

b. In studying the feasibility of building housing on Wards Island, the task force shall take into account the following factors:

1. Potential demand for housing on Wards Island;

2. The cost of building affordable housing on Wards Island and possible sources of funding;

3. Whether any restrictions on permissible land use on Wards Island would need to be modified or amended, and

4. How city services and amenities could be provided to potential residents of Wards Island.

§ 4. Membership. a. The task force shall be composed of the following members:

1. The commissioner of parks and recreation or such commissioner’s designee, who shall serve as chair;

2. The commissioner of health and mental hygiene, or such commissioner’s designee;

3. The chancellor of the city school district, or such chancellor’s designee;

4. The commissioner of environmental protection, or such commissioner’s designee;

5. The commissioner of housing preservation and development, or such commissioner’s designee;

6. Three members appointed by the mayor, including one member who shall represent tenant advocates, one member who shall represent affordable housing providers, and one member who shall represent populations at risk of homelessness; and

7. Three members appointed by the speaker of the city council, including one member who shall represent tenant advocates, one member who shall represent affordable housing providers, and one member who shall represent populations at risk of homelessness.

b. The mayor may invite officers and representatives of relevant federal, state and local agencies and authorities to participate in the work of the task force.

c. All appointments required by this section shall be made no later than 90 days after the effective date of this local law.

d. Each member of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the officer who appointed the member. In the event of a vacancy on the task force, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. All members of the task force shall serve without compensation.

§ 5. Meetings. a. The chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than 30 days after the last member has been appointed, except that where not all members of the task force have been appointed within the time specified in section four, the chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force within 10 days of the appointment of a quorum.

b. The task force may invite experts and stakeholders to attend its meetings and to provide testimony and information relevant to its duties.

c. The task force shall meet no less than once each quarter to carry out the duties described in section three.

d. The meeting requirement of subdivision c shall be suspended when the task force submits its report as required by section six.

§ 6. Report. a. No later than 270 days after the effective date of this local law, the task force shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council setting forth its findings and recommendations for legislation and policy relating to affordable housing on Wards Island. The report shall include a summary of information the task force considered in formulating its recommendations.

b. The commissioner of parks and recreation shall publish the task force’s report electronically on the website of the department of parks and recreation no later than 10 days after its submission to the mayor and the speaker of the council.

§ 7. Agency support. Each agency affected by this local law shall provide appropriate staff and resources to support the work of such agency related to the task force.

§ 8. Termination. The task force shall terminate 180 days after the date on which it submits its report, as required by section six.

§ 9. Effective date. This local law takes effect immediately.

Session 13

LS #11311

1/25/24

Session 12

NAW

LS #11311

6/15/23 10:01 AM