Res. No. 1494 Title Resolution calling upon the State Legislature and Governor to amend the Real Property Tax Law to add disabled heads of households to those eligible for the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE). Body By Council Members Eldridge, Clarke, Malave-Dilan, Eisland, Freed, Lopez, Marshall, Michels, Miller, Nelson, Quinn, Rodriguez, Warden, Watkins and Wooten; also Council Members DiBrienza, Fisher, Harrison, Koslowitz, Leffler and Rivera 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 citizen 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, The same rationale for ensuring that rental costs should not take up a disproportionate amount of the income of elderly persons living on small fixed incomes, applies also to disabled persons living on small incomes, whose household incomes are needed to provide other necessities such as health care; and Whereas, Senate Bill 484 has been introduced in the State Senate and Assembly Bill 4853 has been introduced in the State Assembly which would amend the definition of "head of the household" for purposes of SCRIE to include individuals with physical or mental disabilities; and Whereas, Such an amendment would recognize the similar economic hardships faced by low income disabled citizens trying to maintain a household in the City; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the State Legislature and Governor to amend the Real Property Tax Law to add disabled heads of households to those eligible for the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE).