Int. No. 92-A

By Council Members Ayala, Ung, Stevens, Won, Restler, Nurse, Bottcher, Farías, Schulman, Velázquez, Lee, Sanchez, Hanif, Cabán, Holden, Brannan, Avilés, Hudson, Williams, Narcisse, Dinowitz, Rivera and Gennaro

A Local Law in relation to the creation of an advisory board for accessibility at shelters

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Shelter accessibility advisory board. a. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:

Department. The term “department” means the department of social services.

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

b. There is hereby established an advisory board that shall identify and study common issues relating to the concerns and needs of shelter clients with disabilities; reasonable accommodation requests and complaints; and the physical conditions of shelters, and that shall make policy recommendations to the mayor, the council, and the department regarding access to and within shelters by such clients.

c. The advisory board shall consist of 9 members, including the commissioner of the mayor’s office for people with disabilities or such commissioner’s designee; the commissioner of the department or such commissioner’s designee; and 7 public members, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the mayor and 3 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the council. The public members shall include at least 4 individuals with a disability who currently reside in a shelter or have previously resided in a shelter, and at least 2 individuals who specialize in working with individuals with a disability.

d. The advisory board shall hold its first meeting no later than 30 days after the appointment of the final public member required by subdivision c of this local law, and at such meeting shall elect a chairperson. The advisory board shall meet at least quarterly and keep a record of its proceedings including, but not limited to, the meeting agenda, meeting minutes, any follow up items, a list of participants, and the date for the next scheduled meeting. The advisory board shall determine its own rules of procedure, except that special meetings may be called by the chairperson upon such chairperson’s initiative or upon receipt of a written request signed by at least 4 members of the advisory board. Written notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be given to each member at least 2 weeks before the date fixed by the notice for such special meeting. Records of each meeting of the advisory board shall be posted on the department’s website no later than 14 calendar days after each such meeting is held.

e. No later than January 31, 2024, and annually on January 31 thereafter, the advisory board shall submit a report to the mayor, the speaker of the council, and the department including the results of its study and any recommendations required by this section. Such report shall also be posted on the department’s website.

f. Advisory board members shall serve without compensation for their services as board members.

g. Any vacancy on the advisory board shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately and expires and is deemed repealed on February 1, 2034.

Session 12

ACK

LS #1813

1/25/2023 7:56pm

Session 11

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LS #8597

Int #1560-2019