Res. No. 807 Title Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to restore funding in the 2003-2004 State budget for Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) supportive service programs. Body By Council Members Recchia, Avella, Baez, Brewer, Comrie, Dilan, Fidler, Foster, Gentile, Gerson, Jackson, Koppell, Liu, Martinez, McMahon, Monserrate, Quinn, Reed and Weprin Whereas, According to the 2000 United States Census, the population of senior citizens over age 60 increased by 4 million between 1990 and 2000, and in New York City alone, the percentage of those over age 85 grew by 18.7%; and Whereas, Large numbers of these seniors, both nationally and in New York City, are choosing to remain in their own homes rather than relocating to retirement communities or institutions, creating a phenomenon called "aging in place"; and Whereas, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities, or NORCs, are housing complexes, apartment buildings, and neighborhoods where the residents are aging in place; and Whereas, NORC supportive service programs are systems of onsite social and health care services provided for NORC residents; and Whereas, There are 28 NORC supportive service programs located in New York City, 12 of which are State-funded, and 16 of which were created with funding by the New York City Council; and Whereas, Through its Office for the Aging, the State of New York currently provides $1.2 million in funding for NORC supportive service programs, with over $1.1 million allocated to the 12 State-funded programs in New York City; and Whereas, In his proposed 2003-2004 Executive Budget, Governor Pataki eliminates funding for NORC supportive service programs; and Whereas, The elimination of State funding for NORC programs would deal a devastating blow to those programs, and would severely impact the seniors who depend on them; and Whereas, Moreover, in the 1999 case of Olmstead v. L.C., the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits states from unnecessarily segregating persons with disabilities, and required states to serve people with disabilities in "integrated settings" and least restrictive environments, as well as to develop a plan for meeting those goals; and Whereas, To eliminate funds for NORC programs would be contrary to Olmstead because it would weaken a community support system for senior citizens with age-related disabilities who wish to remain at home and who have come to rely on NORC services; and Whereas, Further, Governor Pataki's commissioning of "Project 2015," a task force of 36 State agencies led by the Office for the Aging, to consider and prepare for anticipated growth in the State's senior population by the year 2015, is an acknowledgement of the need to address imminent increases in demands for services to seniors; and Whereas, In light of the above, the lack of continued funding to NORC supportive service programs would be counterintuitive; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to restore funding in the 2003-2004 State budget for Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) supportive service programs. CAB 4/1/03 |1013|