STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
712
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, HEVESI, RAGA -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to prohibiting
restrictions on the length of shelter stay
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
2 44-a to read as follows:
3 § 44-a. Shelter stay limitation prohibition. 1. For the purposes of
4 this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
5 (a) "Emergency congregate housing" shall mean any location operated by
6 a state agency, city agency, or local municipality or a provider under
7 contract or similar agreement with a state agency, city agency, or local
8 municipality where individuals and families reside for more than nine-
9 ty-six continuous hours and where such individuals and families sleep in
10 a congregate setting with shared facilities, including but not limited
11 to sleeping quarters and bathrooms, but shall not include any location
12 operated by the department, or a provider under contract or similar
13 agreement with the department.
14 (b) "Homeless youth" shall have the same meaning as set forth in
15 subdivision two of section five hundred thirty-two-a of the executive
16 law, and shall include homeless young adults.
17 (c) "Homeless young adult" shall have the same meaning as set forth in
18 subdivision nine of section five hundred thirty-two-a of the executive
19 law.
20 (d) "Shelter" shall have the same meaning as "homeless project", as
21 defined by subdivision one of section forty-two of this title.
22 2. (a) No state agency shall impose limits on the length of time an
23 individual or family may reside in shelter or emergency congregate hous-
24 ing. Absent imminent danger or a request from an individual or family
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01698-01-5
A. 712 2
1 to be transferred, the state agency, city agency, or local municipality
2 or a provider under contract or similar agreement with a state agency,
3 city agency, or local municipality shall not move individuals or fami-
4 lies from their placement, so long as that placement complies with all
5 city, state, federal and municipal laws.
6 (b) To reside in shelter operated by the department, or a provider
7 under contract or similar agreement with the department, an individual
8 or family must maintain eligibility for temporary housing assistance
9 pursuant to section 352.25 of the New York code, rules and regulations.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
