Add §28, Gen City L; add §272, Town L; add §7-720, Vil L
Requires each town, village, and city to develop a "housing action plan for everyone", including consideration of local needs and specific strategies to address those local needs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5194
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 19, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. KAVANAGH, JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to amend the general city law, the town law, and the village law,
in relation to requiring each town, village, and city to develop a
housing action plan for everyone
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general city law is amended by adding a new section 28
2 to read as follows:
3 § 28. Housing action plan for everyone. 1. The legislative body of
4 each city shall adopt a housing action plan for everyone to increase the
5 amount of available housing in each such city. Each such housing action
6 plan shall be updated no less than every five years prior to its
7 adoption by a city.
8 2. Each such action housing plan shall consider, but not be limited
9 to, the following factors:
10 (a) The infrastructure needs of each respective city.
11 (b) Available land for new housing construction.
12 (c) Potential opportunities to redevelop underutilized buildings for
13 housing.
14 (d) The particular needs of each respective city, in relation to
15 income levels, housing costs, and at-risk areas.
16 (e) Specific tools and strategies to address the particular needs of
17 each respective city.
18 3. Each such housing action plan may consider, but shall not be limit-
19 ed to, the following concepts:
20 (a) The legalization of accessory dwelling units.
21 (b) Authorization of transit-oriented development zones.
22 (c) Elimination or reduction of parking requirements.
23 (d) Streamlining permit processes, such as environmental and discre-
24 tionary review requirements.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00367-01-5
S. 5194 2
1 (e) Authorizing as-of-right and mixed-use development goals.
2 4. The amount of new housing contemplated in each such housing action
3 plan, as determined by the legislative body of each city, shall consid-
4 er, but not be limited to, the area median income (AMI) calculations set
5 forth by the U.S. department of housing and urban development, which
6 consists of the following five levels: (a) at or below thirty percent of
7 the city's AMI; (b) between thirty-one percent and fifty percent of
8 the city's AMI; (c) between fifty-one percent and sixty percent of the
9 city's AMI; (d) between sixty-one percent and eighty percent of the
10 city's AMI; and (e) between eighty-one percent and one hundred percent
11 of the city's AMI.
12 5. (a) The planning board of each city, as established pursuant to
13 section twenty-seven of this article, or a group appointed by the mayor
14 and city council for this purpose, shall submit the completed housing
15 action plan for everyone to the mayor and legislative body of each city
16 for review and further recommendation. Such planning board may modify
17 such housing plan to address any recommendations received from the mayor
18 and legislative body.
19 (b) The planning board of each city, or a group appointed by the mayor
20 and city council for this purpose, may coordinate with local planning
21 associations, non-profits, builders, realtors, housing councils,
22 construction industry representatives, and/or other community stakehold-
23 ers in the development of such housing action plan.
24 6. (a) Each city shall post a copy of the finalized housing action
25 plan on each such city's website and file such housing action plan with
26 the division of housing and community renewal.
27 (b) Each city shall hold at least one public hearing on such housing
28 action plan within thirty days of the completion of such housing action
29 plan.
30 7. Regional economic development offices, as established by article
31 eleven of the economic development law, shall assist municipalities by
32 making them aware of grants and funding options that may be available
33 for implementing the housing action plan. Within twelve months of the
34 effective date of this section, the enactment of the housing action plan
35 for everyone by the legislative body of a city shall be completed. If
36 such housing action plan is not completed within such time, a one-time,
37 three-month extension to complete and finalize such plan may be granted,
38 if the division of housing and community renewal confirms that such plan
39 has been substantially completed.
40 § 2. The town law is amended by adding a new section 272 to read as
41 follows:
42 § 272. Housing action plan for everyone. 1. The legislative body of
43 each town shall adopt a housing action plan for everyone to increase the
44 amount of available housing in each such town. Each such housing action
45 plan shall be updated no less than every five years prior to its
46 adoption by a town.
47 2. Each such action housing plan shall consider, but not be limited
48 to, the following factors:
49 (a) The infrastructure needs of each respective town.
50 (b) Available land for new housing construction.
51 (c) Potential opportunities to redevelop underutilized buildings for
52 housing.
53 (d) The particular needs of each respective town, in relation to
54 income levels, housing costs, and at-risk areas.
55 (e) Specific tools and strategies to address the particular needs of
56 each respective town.
S. 5194 3
1 3. Each such housing action plan may consider, but shall not be limit-
2 ed to, the following concepts:
3 (a) The legalization of accessory dwelling units.
4 (b) Authorization of transit-oriented development zones.
5 (c) Elimination or reduction of parking requirements.
6 (d) Streamlining permit processes, such as environmental and discre-
7 tionary review requirements.
8 (e) Authorizing as-of-right and mixed-use development goals.
9 4. The amount of new housing contemplated in each such housing action
10 plan, as determined by the legislative body of each town, shall consid-
11 er, but not be limited to, the area median income (AMI) calculations set
12 forth by the U.S. department of housing and urban development, which
13 consists of the following five levels: (a) at or below thirty percent of
14 the town's AMI; (b) between thirty-one percent and fifty percent of
15 the town's AMI; (c) between fifty-one percent and sixty percent of the
16 town's AMI; (d) between sixty-one percent and eighty percent of the
17 town's AMI; and (e) between eighty-one percent and one hundred percent
18 of the town's AMI.
19 5. (a) The planning board of each town, as established pursuant to
20 section two hundred seventy-one of this article, or a group appointed by
21 the town board for this purpose, shall submit the completed housing
22 action plan for everyone to the town board of each town for review and
23 further recommendation. Such planning board, or a group appointed by the
24 town board for this purpose, may modify such housing plan to address any
25 recommendations received from the town board.
26 (b) The planning board of each town, or a group appointed by the town
27 supervisor and town board, may coordinate with local planning associ-
28 ations, non-profits, builders, realtors, housing councils, construction
29 industry representatives, and/or other community stakeholders in the
30 development of such housing action plan.
31 6. (a) Each town shall post a copy of the finalized housing action
32 plan on each such town's website and file such housing action plan with
33 the division of housing and community renewal.
34 (b) Each town shall hold at least one public hearing on such housing
35 action plan within thirty days of the completion of such housing action
36 plan.
37 7. Regional economic development offices, as established by article
38 eleven of the economic development law, shall assist municipalities by
39 making them aware of grants, and funding options that may be available
40 for implementing the housing action plan. Within twelve months of the
41 effective date of this section, the enactment of the housing action plan
42 for everyone by the legislative body of a town shall be completed. If
43 such housing action plan is not completed within such time, a one-time,
44 three-month extension to complete and finalize such plan may be granted,
45 if the division of housing and community renewal confirms that such plan
46 has been substantially completed.
47 § 3. The village law is amended by adding a new section 7-720 to read
48 as follows:
49 § 7-720 Housing action plan for everyone. 1. The legislative body of
50 each village shall adopt a housing action plan for everyone to increase
51 the amount of available housing in each such village. Each such housing
52 action plan shall be updated no less than every five years prior to its
53 adoption by a village.
54 2. Each such action housing plan shall consider, but not be limited
55 to, the following factors:
56 (a) The infrastructure needs of each respective village.
S. 5194 4
1 (b) Available land for new housing construction.
2 (c) Potential opportunities to redevelop underutilized buildings for
3 housing.
4 (d) The particular needs of each respective village, in relation to
5 income levels, housing costs, and at-risk areas.
6 (e) Specific tools and strategies to address the particular needs of
7 each respective village.
8 3. Each such housing action plan may consider, but shall not be limit-
9 ed to, the following concepts:
10 (a) The legalization of accessory dwelling units.
11 (b) Authorization of transit-oriented development zones.
12 (c) Elimination or reduction of parking requirements.
13 (d) Streamlining permit processes, such as environmental and discre-
14 tionary review requirements.
15 (e) Authorizing as-of-right and mixed-use development goals.
16 4. The amount of new housing contemplated in each such housing action
17 plan, as determined by the legislative body of each village, shall
18 consider, but not be limited to, the area median income (AMI) calcu-
19 lations set forth by the U.S. department of housing and urban develop-
20 ment, which consists of the following five levels: (a) at or below thir-
21 ty percent of the village's AMI; (b) between thirty-one percent and
22 fifty percent of the village's AMI; (c) between fifty-one percent and
23 sixty percent of the village's AMI; (d) between sixty-one percent and
24 eighty percent of the village's AMI; and (e) between eighty-one
25 percent and one hundred percent of the village's AMI.
26 5. (a) The planning board of each village, as established pursuant to
27 section 7-722 of this article, or a group appointed by the village board
28 for this purpose, shall submit the completed housing action plan for
29 everyone to the village board of each village for review and further
30 recommendation. Such planning board, or a group appointed by the village
31 board for this purpose, may modify such housing plan to address any
32 recommendations received from the village board.
33 (b) The planning board of each village or a group appointed by the
34 village board for this purpose, may coordinate with local planning asso-
35 ciations, non-profits, builders, realtors, housing councils,
36 construction industry representatives, and/or other community stakehold-
37 ers in the development of such housing action plan.
38 6. (a) Each village shall post a copy of the finalized housing action
39 plan on each such village's website and file such housing action plan
40 with the division of housing and community renewal.
41 (b) Each village shall hold at least one public hearing on such hous-
42 ing action plan within thirty days of the completion of such housing
43 action plan.
44 7. Regional economic development offices, as established by article
45 eleven of the economic development law, shall assist municipalities by
46 making them aware of grants and funding options that may be available
47 for implementing the housing action plan. Within twelve months of the
48 effective date of this section, the enactment of the housing action plan
49 for everyone by the legislative body of a village shall be completed. If
50 such housing action plan is not completed within such time, a one-time,
51 three-month extension to complete and finalize such plan may be granted,
52 if the division of housing and community renewal confirms that such plan
53 has been substantially completed.
54 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
