Res. No. 272
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass legislation that will expand the number of senior citizens who would be eligible to participate in the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program.
By The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) and Council Members Dickens, Felder, Fidler, Foster, Gennaro, Gentile, James, Liu, Mark-Viverito, Nelson, Seabrook, Weprin and White Jr.
Whereas, The Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program provides orders preventing future rent increases to eligible senior citizen heads of household residing in rent-controlled, rent-stabilized and Mitchell-Lama apartments, and provides corresponding tax abatements to landlords; and
Whereas, The SCRIE program exists pursuant to New York State enabling legislation codified in Sections 467-b and 467-c of the Real Property Tax Law (RPTL); and
Whereas, Currently, to be eligible for SCRIE, a senior citizen must be at least 62 years of age, have an annual household income not exceeding $26,000 beginning July 1, 2006 and increasing by $1,000 each year to $29,000 in 2009, and have an apartment with a rental value that exceeds one-third of such senior citizen's income; and
Whereas, According to the 2000 Census data, there are approximately 1.3 million people living in New York City who are over the age of 60; and
Whereas, Affordable housing has become increasingly difficult for senior citizens who are on fixed incomes; and
Whereas, According to the Department for the Aging, the median household income for New Yorkers between the ages of 65 and 74 is $27,271, with such median income dropping to $19,196 for those senior citizens who are age 75 and older; and
Whereas, The Rent Guidelines Board, in 2005, increased the rent for rent-stabilized apartments by 2.75% and 5.5% for such apartments with a one-year and a two-year lease, respectively; and
Whereas, Pursuant to the New York City Administrative Code, section 26-405(a)(5), rent-controlled apartments may increase their rent by up to 7.5% annually; and
Whereas, In Fiscal Year 2003, only 44,495 New York City senior citizens were enrolled in the SCRIE program; and
Whereas, Enacting a law that would expand the number of senior citizens who would be eligible to participate in the SCRIE program would help alleviate some of the financial constraints faced by many New York City senior citizens and ensure that such senior citizens are able to remain in their homes and communities; and
Whereas, The New York State Legislature has several bills pending that would increase the maximum income eligibility threshold, including: A.232, which would raise the maximum income to $30,000; A.1161 and S.1459 (non-companion bills), which would raise the maximum income to $50,000; and A.9317 and S.956, which would require the commissioner of housing and community renewal to increase the maximum income eligibility threshold annually; and
Whereas, The New York State Legislature has several bills that would further expand the number of senior citizens who would be eligible for the SCRIE program, including: A.1712/S.929 (companion bills), which would require that the rent constitute at least one-fourth (rather than one-third) of the senior's income; A.3372 and S.6980 (companion bills), which would exclude social security payments and supplemental security income from the definition of income for purposes of determining SCRIE eligibility; A.5386, which would exclude from the definition of income the out-of-pocket expenses for all medical and prescription drugs; and A.6734, which would exempt rent increases above one fourth of all household members' combined income if less than $14,400; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass legislation that will expand the number of senior citizens who would be eligible to participate in the SCRIE program.
KS/AT
Res 892/2005