Senate housing committee advances six bills; solar permitting and apprenticeship checks draw questions

The New York State Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development, chaired by Brian Kavanaugh, advanced six bills on housing policy and building standards and referred them either to the Senate Finance Committee or the floor.

The most discussed measure, S 5 7 8 1 — an act to amend the Executive Law in relation to residential solar and energy storage permitting — would require municipalities with more than 5,000 residents to adopt a permitting process for residential solar. Committee members questioned whether the requirement would create an unfunded mandate. Chair Brian Kavanaugh said the bill itself contains no municipal funding; he noted the sponsor’s memo references a free, federally supported software program and the bill was amended this year to be ‘‘software agnostic’’ so municipalities could use other providers if the federal product ends. Committee discussion emphasized the goal of a smoother approval process for property owners while noting local governments would need to do implementing work.

A second bill, S 61 34, would establish a New York State public housing painters apprenticeship program under the Labor Law. During discussion a committee member raised whether criminal records could be considered in screening applicants for the municipal housing authority program. Chair Kavanaugh responded, “That is correct. Yes,” indicating the bill’s language prevents reviewing criminal records for applicants. The committee reported the bill to the Senate Finance Committee.

The panel also advanced S 62 74, a private housing finance law change to add preference for veterans with service-related disabilities under the affordable homeownership development program; S 65 10, an amendment to the Administrative Code of the City of New York addressing eligibility for rent increase exemptions for persons with disabilities; and a multiple-dwelling inspection measure, S 66, to require inspection of non-fireproof buildings for compliance with the NYC Housing Maintenance Code and NYC Construction Codes. Committee members discussing S 66 said more timely structural examinations could help identify causes after fires and align inspections with code-required intervals.

Finally, S 67 18 a, an amendment to the New York City Administrative Code related to surcharges for installation or use of certain appliances in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized housing, was advanced.

Votes at a glance - S 5 7 8 1 (sponsor listed in transcript as Harphem). Purpose: amend Executive Law re: residential solar and energy storage permitting; applicability discussed for municipalities with more than 5,000 residents; no municipal funding included in the bill; committee action: reported (mover: Senator Jackson; second: Senator Salazar; outcome: reported to Finance). - S 61 34 (sponsor Parker). Purpose: establish a New York State public housing painters apprenticeship program; discussion about whether criminal records may be considered for applicants; committee action: reported to Finance (mover: Senator Jackson; second: Senator Briscoe). - S 62 74 (sponsors listed in transcript as Forsa Spann). Purpose: amend Private Housing Finance Law to give preference in affordable homeownership development program to veterans with service-related disabilities; committee action: reported to the floor (mover: Senator Cleary; second: Senator Jackson; additional second noted from Senator Helming). - S 65 10 (sponsor Clear). Purpose: amend NYC Administrative Code re: eligibility requirements for rent increase exemptions for persons with disabilities; committee action: reported to Finance (mover: Senator Jackson; second: Senator Brissport; recorded nay: Senator Walznick). - S 66 (sponsor Jackson). Purpose: amend Multiple Dwelling Law to require inspection of non-fireproof buildings for compliance with NYC housing and construction codes; committee action: reported to the floor (mover: Senator Cleary; second: Senator Brissport). - S 67 18 a (sponsor Jackson). Purpose: amend NYC Administrative Code re: surcharges for certain appliances in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized housing; committee action: reported to the floor (mover: Senator Cleary; second: Senator May; recorded nay: Senator Volta/Voltaic as listed in transcript).

Discussion versus action - Discussion-only items: committee members engaged in policy and implementation discussion on S 5 7 8 1 (funding sources, federal software option, and local implementation burdens) and on S 66 (inspection triggers and post-fire investigation timing). Those exchanges were recorded as part of the debate and did not by themselves change statutory text beyond the sponsor’s amendment noted for S 5 7 8 1. - Direction/assignment: no formal staff directives or required follow-ups were entered on the record during this session; the committee moved the listed bills to the next legislative steps. - Formal action: each listed bill was advanced (reported) as noted above.

What remained unresolved - For S 5 7 8 1, committee members repeatedly noted funding and implementation questions: the bill contains no municipal funding, and while the sponsor memo references a federally supported, free product, committee members said that if federal support ends any available replacements may not be free, which could create an unfunded mandate for municipalities. - For S 61 34, committee members sought clarity about background checks and employment history screening in public housing apprenticeships; the bill language was read as prohibiting use of criminal records in applicant screening.

Committee context Chair Brian Kavanaugh opened the session and listed members present. Staff on the record included Anthony Massaroma (lead committee director) and Naomi Lazarus (committee clerk). The chair noted the committee plans a joint hearing with the Judiciary Committee on April 24 in New York City on the city’s housing court system.

Ending Committee members advanced all listed measures to the next legislative step with the roll calls and recorded nays noted above. The committee moved on after the recorded votes to the next agenda item.