Res. No. 221 Title Resolution calling upon the Legislature of the State of New York to amend the Real Property Tax Law to provide rent increase exemptions to qualified disabled heads of households modeled on the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. Body By Council Members Foster, Nelson, Addabbo, Baez, Brewer, DeBlasio, Dilan, Fidler, Gerson, Jackson, Martinez, Monserrate, Perkins, Quinn, Reed, Reyna, Rivera, Sanders, Seabrook, Serrabo and Liu; also Council Member Provenzano Whereas, Section 467-b and 467-c of the State Real Property Tax Law (and Administrative Code provisions enacted pursuant thereto) currently contain senior citizen rent increase exemptions (SCRIE), whereby a senior head of a household, whose household income is $20,000 or less and whose rent constitutes at least a third of that income, is entitled to exemptions from rent increases in order to keep his or her rent from becoming a greater percentage of the household income; and Whereas, This program provides that landlords be reimbursed for the rent increase exemptions through means of property tax abatements; and Whereas, This program assists lower income elderly persons by lessening the harsh impact of rental obligations so that their limited incomes can be devoted to other necessities such as food, clothing and health care; and Whereas, Many people with disabilities receive income from the federal/state Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability programs, which range from a low of $599 monthly to a high of about $1,000 monthly; and Whereas, There is a critical shortage of affordable housing in New York City, which is particularly bad for disabled persons who need to find shelter that is not only safe and affordable but also accessible; and Whereas, The same rationale for ensuring that rental costs should not consume a disproportionate amount of the income of elderly persons should apply as well to disabled persons living on small incomes, whose household incomes are needed to provide other necessities such as health care; and Whereas, Eligible persons should include anyone under the age of 62 with a physical or mental impairment, including, but not limited to, those of neurological or sensory organs, which substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities, and who is regarded as having such an impairment as certified by a licensed physician; and Whereas, Affected housing should include rent-regulated non-public housing, including buildings under rent control or rent stabilization and Mitchell-Lama rental buildings; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Legislature of the State of New York to amend the Real Property Tax Law to provide rent increase exemptions to qualified disabled heads of households modeled on the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. |10
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