File #: Res 0004-2006    Version: * Name: NYC Housing Authority to include an admission preference for public housing in its next proposed agency plan for veterans who have a military service-connected disability.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Housing and Buildings
On agenda: 2/1/2006
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the New York City Housing Authority to include an admission preference for public housing in its next proposed agency plan for veterans who have a military service-connected disability.
Sponsors: Tony Avella, Lewis A. Fidler, James F. Gennaro, Vincent J. Gentile, Letitia James, G. Oliver Koppell, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Michael C. Nelson, Annabel Palma, James Sanders, Jr., Albert Vann, David I. Weprin, Thomas White, Jr., Rosie Mendez, David Yassky
Council Member Sponsors: 15

Res. No. 4

 

Resolution calling upon the New York City Housing Authority to include an admission preference for public housing in its next proposed agency plan for veterans who have a military service-connected disability.

 

By Council Members Avella, Fidler, Gennaro, Gentile, James, Koppell, Mark-Viverito, Nelson, Palma, Sanders Jr., Vann, Weprin, White Jr., Mendez and Yassky

 

                     Whereas, According to New York State’s Division of Veteran Affairs, approximately 332,000 veterans live in New York City; and

Whereas, According to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs’ Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness, as of December 31, 2003, there were approximately 26,184 veterans with a military service-connected disability residing within New York City; and

Whereas, Many veterans in New York City are unable to secure affordable housing; and

Whereas, The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is a public housing agency (PHA) organized and funded primarily through federal and state programs; and

Whereas, The requirements for income eligibility and admission preferences for  PHA’s are based on federal and state law; and

Whereas, Section 156 of New York State’s Public Housing Law allows veterans and the families of veterans who served in the armed forces between 1961 to 1975 and were injured or killed as a result of this service to meet a less stringent income eligibility standard for public housing than for other persons or families of low income; and

Whereas, According to section 960.206 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, NYCHA has the authority to “adopt a system of local preferences for selection of families admitted to the PHA’s public housing program;” and

Whereas, Such admission preferences must be based on local housing needs and determined by the PHA after a period of public comment and consultation with the resident advisory board of the PHA and then submitted within the PHA’s annual or five year plan, whichever is applicable, to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which then must approve or disapprove the plan; and

Whereas, NYCHA does include local admission preferences for certain groups, such as working families, intimidated witnesses and for those with health emergencies; and

Whereas, On page 30, NYCHA’s Annual Plan for FY 2004 provides a listing under “Other preferences,” entitled “veterans and veteran’s families” and a corresponding box that NYCHA failed to check off, thus denying any admission preference for veterans; and

Whereas, Veterans who have a disability as a result of military service and qualify for public housing should receive some kind of admission preference from NYCHA, if not the same preference as for those mentioned above; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Housing Authority to include an admission preference for public housing in its next proposed agency plan for veterans who have a military service-connected disability.

 

RA

Res 41/2004