File #: Int 1067-2024    Version: * Name: Assistance program for homeowners experiencing groundwater flooding in southeast Queens, and to repeal such amendments upon the expiration thereof.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts
On agenda: 9/26/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to an assistance program for homeowners experiencing groundwater flooding in southeast Queens, and to repeal such amendments upon the expiration thereof
Sponsors: Nantasha M. Williams, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Farah N. Louis
Council Member Sponsors: 3
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue a request for proposals for a community-based organization (CBO) to identify residential properties in Queens community districts 12 and 13 that have experienced damage from groundwater flooding, connect those properties to retrofit repair assistance, provide case management support for the owners of such properties, and to provide information regarding such assistance via mailings to residents of the community districts. It would also require the contracted CBO to submit an annual report on the number of such properties, the damage sustained, the estimated cost of retrofit repairs, and recommendations to improve the assistance programs. DEP would be required to submit feedback to any agency administering such assistance programs. DEP would be required to report on the status of any studies it is involved in relating to groundwater levels in southeast Queens. This bill also creates an interagency task force to recommend relevant changes in law. This bill would expire and be deemed repealed 5 years after it becomes law.
Indexes: Council Appointment Required, Other Appointment Required, Report Required, Sunset Date Applies
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1067, 2. Int. No. 1067, 3. September 26, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1067

 

By Council Members Williams, Brooks-Powers and Louis

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to an assistance program for homeowners experiencing groundwater flooding in southeast Queens, and to repeal such amendments upon the expiration thereof

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision b of section 24-530 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 56 for the year 2017, is amended to read as follows:

b. By no later than [six] 6 months after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the first fiscal year that commences more than [one] 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the department of environmental protection shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council a report on progress in implementing the plan required by subdivision a of this section during the prior fiscal year. Each such report shall include, but not be limited to, a description of any changes to such plan, a description of any changes in funds committed by or on behalf of the city in furtherance of such plan, [and] a description of all funds expended by or on behalf of the city in furtherance of such plan, and an update on progress made in any studies related to groundwater levels and flooding in Queens community districts 12 and 13 in which the department of environmental protection is participating.

§ 2. Chapter 5 of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 24-530.1 to read as follows:

§ 24-530.1 Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of environmental protection.

Community-based organization. The term “community-based organization” means a non-profit organization representing the needs of and providing services to a particular community.

Department. The term “department” means the department of environmental protection.

Eligible property. The term “eligible property” means a residential property in Queens community district 12 or 13 that has experienced damage from groundwater flooding.

b. No more than 60 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the department shall issue a request for proposals for a community-based organization to:

1. Identify the street addresses of each eligible property, and provide such information to the department;

2. For a period of no less than 5 years, connect eligible property owners to financial and technical assistance for building retrofit programs and other financial and technical assistance that may be available to such property owners; 

3. For a period of no less than 5 years, provide case management support to each eligible property owner;

4. Conduct 5 annual mailings to residents of community district 12 and community district 13, providing information on the Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance, including but not limited to information on eligibility and available resources; and

5. Submit to the department, the mayor, and the speaker of the council 5 annual reports, the information in which shall be anonymized, and which shall include, at a minimum:

(a) The number of eligible properties identified by the community-based organization;

(b) A description of the flood damage each eligible property has experienced, including the estimated cost of the damage;

(c) The estimated cost of retrofitting each eligible property to protect against future groundwater flooding;

(d) The number of eligible property owners the program has helped apply for financial and technical assistance and the status of each such application; and

(e) Any feedback or recommendations from the community-based organization for improving the financial or technical assistance programs available to eligible property owners.

c. Within 30 days of a contract for such actions being entered into by the department, the commissioner shall provide to the speaker of the council a detailed written framework of the timeline for such tasks, including relevant milestones and implementation deadlines.

 d. No later than 90 days after receiving any annual report described in paragraph 5 of subdivision b of this section, the commissioner shall submit a letter to any state, federal, or other entity administering financial or technical assistance programs for which eligible property owners may apply for assistance communicating any relevant feedback generated by the contracted community-based organization in such report.

§ 3. Chapter 5 of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding new section 24-530.2, to read as follows:

§ 24-530.2 Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance task force. a. There shall be an interagency task force to recommend changes to the laws, rules, regulations and policies with regard to Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance where appropriate.

b. The task force shall consist of the following members:

1. The director of the office of environmental remediation, or their designee;

2. The commissioner of environmental protection, or their designee;

3. The commissioner of housing and preservation development, or their designee;

4. One member appointed by the public advocate; and

5. Three members appointed by the speaker of the council.

c. The chair of such task force shall be the commissioner of environmental protection or such commissioner’s designee.

d. The task force shall invite representatives from relevant city and state agencies, elected officials and advocacy organizations, as identified by the task force, to participate in the development of task force reports and to provide feedback on the Southeast Queens flooding adaptation assistance.

e. All members shall be appointed to the task force within 60 days of the effective date of the local law that added this section. The members shall serve without compensation, except that each member shall be allowed actual and necessary expenses to be audited in the same manner as other city expenses. Any vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

f. The task force shall meet at least four times a year and shall convene an annual public hearing in community district 12 and community district 13.

g. No later than 1 year after the appointment of the final member of the task force, and annually thereafter, the task force shall issue a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council detailing its activities and recommendations, which shall be made publicly available on the city’s website.

§ 4. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law and section three of this local law expires and is deemed repealed upon the submission of the fifth annual report required by subdivision g of section 24-530.2 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by such section three.

CCM/APM

LS #17029

9/20/2024 3:20 PM