Enacts the safe housing transfer for domestic violence victims act; ensuring safe housing transfers for domestic violence victims in private and public housing.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7026
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SLATER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Housing
AN ACT to amend the real property law and the public housing law, in
relation to ensuring safe housing transfers for domestic violence
victims
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "safe hous-
2 ing transfer for domestic violence victims act".
3 § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that
4 domestic violence victims face significant barriers to securing safe
5 housing. While existing law permits early lease termination, victims
6 often face challenges finding new affordable housing. This act seeks to
7 expand protections by allowing landlords of affordable housing proper-
8 ties to offer safe relocation options to domestic violence victims,
9 ensuring housing stability while prioritizing victim safety.
10 § 3. Subdivision 6 of section 227-c of the real property law is renum-
11 bered subdivision 7 and a new subdivision 6 is added to read as follows:
12 6. Right to relocation for domestic violence victims. (a) (i) A tenant
13 who is a victim of domestic violence, as such term is defined in section
14 four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law, shall have the
15 right to request a transfer to another dwelling unit owned or operated
16 by the same landlord within a reasonable geographic proximity, subject
17 to availability.
18 (ii) Landlords shall prioritize transfer requests under this subdivi-
19 sion over non-emergency tenant transfers and vacancies for new appli-
20 cants.
21 (iii) Landlords shall not retaliate against a tenant who requests to
22 relocate under this subdivision by taking any adverse action against
23 such tenant including, but not limited to, eviction, harassment, or
24 denial of lease renewal.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10214-01-5
A. 7026 2
1 (b) A tenant shall submit a written request for relocation under this
2 subdivision which shall include:
3 (i) a court-issued order of protection;
4 (ii) a police report documenting an incident of domestic violence
5 where the tenant is the victim in the incident; or
6 (iii) a statement from a qualified service provider, health care
7 professional, or social worker verifying the tenant's status as a victim
8 of domestic violence.
9 (c) (i) A landlord shall respond to a relocation request submitted in
10 accordance with this subdivision within fifteen days of receiving such
11 request and shall include a list of available dwelling units and their
12 fair market value rent.
13 (A) For equivalent dwelling units, the landlord shall offer such units
14 without requiring additional security deposits, application fees, or
15 increased rent beyond the standard allowable rent for the new units.
16 (B) For dwelling units which are not equivalent to the tenant's
17 current unit, the landlord shall offer such units at fair market value
18 including any additional security deposits necessary; however, no addi-
19 tional application fees shall be charged.
20 (ii) Where a landlord does not have any other available dwelling units
21 within their housing portfolio, the landlord may deny the request within
22 fifteen days of receiving such request and shall include a written
23 explanation for such denial and references to alternative housing
24 resources.
25 (d) When a landlord violates the provisions of this subdivision, a
26 tenant may file a complaint with the division of housing and community
27 renewal who shall investigate such complaint and enforce the provisions
28 of this subdivision.
29 § 4. Section 14 of the public housing law is amended by adding two new
30 subdivisions 8 and 9 to read as follows:
31 8. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations, rules and policies
32 which provide for the rights of tenants who are victims of domestic
33 violence, as such term is defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a
34 of the social services law, to request an emergency transfer to another
35 dwelling unit operated by the same or a comparable public housing
36 project.
37 (a) A tenant shall submit a written request for an emergency transfer
38 under this subdivision to their public housing project which shall
39 include:
40 (i) a court-issued order of protection;
41 (ii) a police report documenting an incident of domestic violence
42 where the tenant is the victim in the incident; or
43 (iii) a statement from a qualified service provider, health care
44 professional, or social worker verifying the tenant's status as a victim
45 of domestic violence.
46 (b) (i) A public housing project shall respond to an emergency trans-
47 fer request submitted in accordance with this subdivision within fifteen
48 days of receiving such request and shall include a list of available
49 dwelling units and their fair market value rent.
50 (A) For equivalent dwelling units, the public housing project shall
51 offer such units without requiring additional security deposits, appli-
52 cation fees, or increased rent beyond the standard allowable rent for
53 the new units.
54 (B) For dwelling units which are not equivalent to the tenant's
55 current unit, the public housing project shall offer such units at fair
A. 7026 3
1 market value including any additional security deposits necessary;
2 however, no additional application fees shall be charged.
3 (ii) Where a public housing project does not have any other available
4 dwelling units within their housing portfolio, the public housing
5 project may deny the request within fifteen days of receiving such
6 request and shall include a written explanation for such denial and
7 references to comparable public housing projects.
8 9. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations, rules and policies
9 which provide for the rights of tenants who are victims of domestic
10 violence, as such term is defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a
11 of the social services law, under section two hundred twenty-seven-c of
12 the real property law.
13 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to lease
14 agreements signed on or after such effective date.
