Relates to establishing the housing access voucher program; provides that the commissioner of the division of housing and community renewal shall implement a program of rental assistance in the form of housing vouchers for eligible individuals and families who are homeless or who face an imminent loss of housing; provides that the commissioner shall designate housing access voucher local administrators in the state to administer the program.
Provides that any small property owner that owns twenty units or less shall be entitled to free legal services if such small property owner can prove a loss of at least twenty percent of rent payments in a calendar year; defines "small property owner" as any lessor in a residential real property transaction, and includes an owner of twenty units or less who lists residential real property for lease with an agent, whether or not a lease results, or who receives an offer to lease twenty units of residential real property or less.
Expands the membership of the interagency task force on trafficking in persons to include the commissioner of the department of transportation, the commissioner of the department of motor vehicles and the executive director of the New York state thruway authority.
Establishes the police canine vest fund to be used for the purpose of purchasing, maintaining, repairing and replacing soft body ballistic armor vests and other protective equipment for state police and municipal department police canines utilized in the performance of police duties, as well as the purchasing and training of such police canines.
Deems home instruction which is compliant with the provisions of article 65 of the education law and the home instruction requirements prescribed in the commissioner of education's regulations to be substantially equivalent in amount and quality to the instruction given to students of like age and attainments at the public schools of the city or district where the student resides.
Enacts the "NYCHA utility accountability act"; requires the NYCHA to provide a rent reduction to tenants who experience a disruption in utility service.
Relates to the placement of school crossing guards; requires school crossing guards to be placed on each of the corners of streets adjacent to public and private schools in New York City serving students in grades K-8 and on each side of streets with more than four lanes.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Reduces certain commercial rent taxes for premises occupied by certain retail or food services businesses having a base rent of less than one million dollars per year and located in the borough of Manhattan south of the center line of ninety-sixth street.