Senate Housing Committee advances more than a dozen housing bills to finance and the floor

Albany — The New York State Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development, chaired by Senator Brian Kavanaugh, reported more than a dozen housing-related bills to either the Finance Committee or to the Senate floor during its third committee meeting in February 2025.

The committee moved bills covering a range of housing issues including small rental development financing, a housing project revolving loan fund, property tax exemptions for home renovations, senior housing service funding, tenant protections tied to major capital improvements, and updates to building and energy codes. Most measures were advanced after brief sponsor remarks or technical questions from committee members.

Why it matters: The bills forwarded by the committee address funding mechanisms, tenant protections and code enforcement that affect developers, landlords and tenants across New York at a time when lawmakers are finalizing the state budget due in roughly four weeks, committee members noted.

Votes at a glance

- S595 (Hinchey) — ‘‘An act to amend the private housing finance law in relation to establishing the small rental housing development initiative.’’ Motion to report to Finance carried; mover: Senator Manning; second: Senator Kavanaugh. The committee recorded no negative votes in the chamber roll-call remarks and the bill was reported to Finance.

- S733 (May) — ‘‘An act to amend the private housing finance law and the state finance law in relation to establishing a housing project revolving loan program and housing project revolving loan fund.’’ Sponsor emphasized high financing costs and the bill’s intent to lower construction financing costs; motion to report to Finance carried; sponsor comment noted that related language appears in the Executive Budget.

- S852 (Helbing/Helming) — ‘‘Home Buyer Renovation Property Tax Exemption Act’’ (amend Real Property Tax Law). Motion to report to Finance carried.

- S956 (Kavanaugh) — ‘‘Affordable Independent Senior Housing Assistance Program’’ (amend Private Housing Finance Law). Committee discussed the program’s proposed 60/40 urban–rural allocation; chair and sponsor explained the split reflects where subsidized senior housing currently exists and emphasized the bill funds on-site staff to help seniors access services rather than new construction. Motion to report to Finance carried.

- S1461 (Kavanaugh) — Amendments to NYC administrative and rent laws to extend tenant response time for major capital improvement rent increase applications. Motion to report carried.

- S2320 (Payee) — Amend Real Property Tax Law to change exemption amounts for capital improvements. Committee members asked about safeguards for property-flipping; sponsors said municipal adoption can include local restrictions and the exemption typically applies for a limited period (up to eight years) depending on local implementation. Motion to report carried.

- S3218 (Kavanaugh) — Prohibit surcharges for dishwashers in rent-regulated housing (amend NYC administrative code and rent laws). Motion to report carried.

- S3569 (Clear) — Require prospective tenants be allowed to request complete rent history for rent-controlled or rent-stabilized units (amend Public Housing Law). Motion to report carried; a recorded nay was noted for Senator Helming.

- S3819 (Rivera) — Increase penalties and shorten cure periods for certain building and fire-code violations. Motion to report carried.

- S4099 (Parker) — Inspection rules for major capital improvements and extension of rent stabilization provisions. Motion to report carried.

- S4165 (Bailey) — Increase code enforcement powers of the Secretary of State (amend Executive Law). Motion to report to Finance carried; several negative votes were noted but the measure was advanced.

- S4252 (Parker) — Continuation of senior citizen rent increase exemption benefits after a temporary period of ineligibility. Motion to report carried.

- S4534 and S4535 (Scufus) — Two related measures on administration/enforcement and investigations into the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Energy Conservation Construction Code; both advanced to Finance or the floor as reported. Committee members noted these bills stem from a joint investigation and code-review effort.

- S4852 (Scufus) — Require updating state codes based on certain international code updates. Motion to report carried.

- S5001 (William and Siegel) — Amend Public Housing Law definition of “family member” to shorten and modernize the list (use of terms such as “spouse” and “child”) and add relatives such as aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Motion to report carried.

Committee discussion and clarifications

Several items drew clarifying questions rather than extended debate. For S733 (housing project revolving loan program), the sponsor and committee members discussed high construction financing costs as the bill’s motivation. For S956 (senior housing services), committee members asked why a 60/40 urban–rural split was proposed; the sponsor said the split reflects where subsidized senior housing currently exists and emphasized the bill funds on-site, service-focused staff rather than construction. For S2320 (capital improvement exemptions) members asked whether the exemption could be used by home flippers; sponsors said municipalities adopting the exemption could add local restrictions and that the exemption period is tied to local adoption, with examples during the hearing referencing up to eight years.

No bill was tabled or defeated in the committee; the items recorded in the transcript were advanced (reported) either to the Finance Committee or to the Senate floor as noted above.

The committee chair said the full hearing video and written testimony for recent hearings are available at nysenate.gov and reminded members the state budget deadline is about four weeks away.