File #: Int 1691-2017    Version: * Name: Establishing a commission to develop a citywide shelter siting plan for implementation by the department of homeless services and social services.
Type: Introduction Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on General Welfare
On agenda: 8/24/2017
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a commission to develop a citywide shelter siting plan for implementation by the department of homeless services and social services
Sponsors: David G. Greenfield, Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
Council Member Sponsors: 2
Summary: This bill would amend the Administrative Code by establishing a Commission on Shelter Siting composed of 15 members as follows: 5 members appointed by the City Council Speaker, 5 appointed by the Mayor, and 5 appointed by the Borough Presidents. The commission would analyze the locations of shelters across the city and develop a plan prescribing the future placement of shelters with the goal of enhancing their proximity to public transit and essential services for their residents. The commission would meet at least three times per year and produce annually a report of its activities for the Mayor and Council that includes its homeless shelter siting plan. The bill would require the commission to solicit input from community boards and the public with respect to the development of the plan. Once developed, the Department of Homeless Services would be required to implement the plan.
Indexes: Council Appointment Required, Other Appointment Required, Oversight, Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1691, 2. Int. No. 1691, 3. August 24, 2017 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2017*David G. Greenfield City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
8/24/2017*David G. Greenfield City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
8/24/2017*David G. Greenfield City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 1691

 

By Council Members Greenfield and Salamanca

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a commission to develop a citywide shelter siting plan for implementation by the department of homeless services and social services

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 21-308 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law 19 for the year 1999, is amended to read as follows:

c. Projected number of facilities to be constructed or rehabilitated to accommodate homeless individuals and families consistent with the shelter siting plan established pursuant to section 21-317.

§ 2. Chapter 3 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-317 to read as follows:

§ 21-317 Commission on shelter siting. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

HRA domestic violence shelter. The term “HRA domestic violence shelter” means any residential care facility providing emergency shelter and services to victims of domestic violence and their minor children and operated by the department of social services/human resources administration or a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department of social services/ human resources administration.

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

b. Commission duties. There shall be a commission on shelter siting to study the locations of shelters across the city; analyze the relationship between shelter locations and homeless persons’ access to their communities of origin, public transit and essential services; determine the need for shelters in specific locations, finances required to provide them and any essential, alternative or emergency services required for such shelters; solicit input from community boards and the public regarding the placement and distribution of shelters across the city; and site such shelters.

c. Shelter siting plan. 1. No later than October 1, 2018, the commission on shelter siting shall develop and submit to the mayor, speaker of the city council, commissioner and commissioner of social services a Five-Year plan prescribing the siting of shelters across the city, including regarding the placement, location or relocation of shelters. The commissioner and commissioner of social services shall implement such plan.

2. The commission shall review and update the shelter siting plan developed pursuant to subdivision b of this section each year and shall submit the updated version thereof to the mayor, speaker of the city council, commissioner and commissioner of social services not later than October first of each year.

3. In the fifth year covered by each Five-Year shelter siting plan, the commission shall submit a Five-Year shelter siting plan for the next succeeding five-year period not later than six months before the last day of such fifth year to the mayor, speaker of the city council, the commissioner and commissioner of social services.    

d. Commission membership. The commission shall consist of 15 members to be appointed for two-year terms as follows: one member from each borough appointed by the speaker of the city council as recommended by each borough’s council delegation, one member appointed by each borough president, and five members appointed by the mayor. The mayor shall designate one member to serve as chair of the commission and may also designate a member to serve as co-chair. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. In the event of the death or resignation of any member, a successor shall be appointed by the official who appointed such member. The commissioner and the commissioner of social services shall provide appropriate personnel to assist the commission in the performance of its functions.

e. Commission activities. The commission shall:

1. Hold at least one meeting every four months, including at least one annual meeting open to the public;

2. Keep a record of its activities;

3. Determine its own rules of procedure; and

4. Perform such advisory duties and functions as may be necessary to achieve its purposes as described in subdivision a of this section.

f. No later than December 1, 2018 and annually by December 1 thereafter, the commission shall submit to the mayor, the speaker of the council, the commissioner and the commissioner of social services a report concerning its activities during the previous 12 months and goals for the following year.

§ 3.  This local law takes effect immediately after it is submitted for the approval of the qualified electors of the city at the next general election held after its enactment and approved by a majority of such electors voting thereon.

 

PLS

LS #10135

5/19/2017