File #: Int 0688-2022    Version: * Name: Requiring reporting on crime statistics in shelters.
Type: Introduction Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on General Welfare
On agenda: 9/14/2022
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring reporting on crime statistics in shelters
Sponsors: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Kamillah Hanks, Farah N. Louis, Crystal Hudson
Council Member Sponsors: 4
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to produce to an annual report detailing “critical incidents” occurring in shelters, including assault, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, weapons possession, arson, and theft. The annual report will also detail efforts to upgrade security and any agreements made between DHS and the New York City Police Department or other entities to enhance security.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 688, 2. Int. No. 688, 3. September 14, 2022 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-14-22, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - September 14, 2022
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2023*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 688

 

By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Hanks, Louis and Hudson

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring reporting on crime statistics in shelters

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 3 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-328 to read as follows:

                     § 21-328 Crime statistics in shelters. a. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Adult. The term "adult" means any person who is 18 years of age or older.

Adult families. The term "adult families" means families comprised of adults and no children.

Children. The term "children" means any person 21 years of age or younger and part of a family with children.

Cluster site. The term “cluster site” means an individual unit, which is being utilized as shelter for a family with children, within a private building.

Critical incident. The term “critical incident” means occurrences in shelters tracked and designated by the department as such that shall include but not be limited to assault, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, weapons possession, arson, and theft.

 Families with children. The term "families with children" means families comprised of adults and children, couples including at least one pregnant person, single pregnant person, or parents or grandparents with a pregnant person.

Hotel. The term “hotel” means a building that historically operated as a hotel prior to its use as shelter and is currently used by the department as shelter or a building that continues to operate as a commercial hotel and also provides a number of units to the department for shelter residents.

Peace officer. The term “peace officer” means an individual as established by article 2 of chapter 11-a of the criminal procedure law working for the department charged with promoting security within department facilities.

Shelter. The term “shelter” means temporary emergency housing provided to homeless single adults, adult families, and families with children by the department or a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department.

Single adult. The term "single adult" means an individual without an accompanying adult or child;

Tier II shelter. The term “tier II shelter” means a shelter facility subject to the provisions of part 900 of the codes, rules, and regulations of the state of New York which provides shelter and services to 10 or more homeless families including, at a minimum, private rooms, access to three nutritional meals a day, supervision, assessment services, permanent housing preparation services, recreational services, information and referral services, health services, and child-care services.

b. Beginning no later than July 31, 2022, and no later than every July 31 annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website an annual report containing information regarding critical incidents occurring in shelters. Each such report shall include but not be limited to: (i) the number of critical incidents occurring in shelters, disaggregated by the type of such incident; (ii) efforts to improve security measures in shelters; (iii) any agreements, made between the department and the New York city police department or any other law enforcement entities, for the purpose of enhancing security in shelters throughout the city; and (iv) the type of security present in shelters, including but not limited to the number of peace officers, private security guards, or whether a shelter has no security measures, disaggregated by individual shelters. Such data shall be disaggregated by the shelter population including single adults, adult families, and families with children, and shelters for families shall be further disaggregated by tier II shelters, cluster sites, and hotels.

c. No information that is otherwise required to be reported pursuant to this section shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state or local law relating to the privacy of information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

 

Session 12

ACK

LS #95

4/20/2022

 

Session 11

OA/AV

LS 396

Int. 804-2018