Senate housing committee reports a package of housing bills to the floor

The New York State Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development on March 18 reported a slate of housing bills to the Senate floor after brief discussion and recorded objections from some members.

Chair Senator Brian Chavanagh said the bills fit within the Senate’s one‑house budget priorities, which he summarized as proposing about $1,900,000,000 in new capital funding for construction and preservation of housing. “We look forward to an ongoing conversation about those issues and hopefully an on time budget,” Chavanagh said.

Among the measures the committee reported were: - Senate Bill 2091 (Kavanaugh), to establish standards for reuse of deconstructed building materials; the committee moved to report the bill to the floor. - Senate Bill 2117 (Fahey), to clarify prosecution by the Department of Financial Services and municipalities for certain residential real‑property violations; the committee reported the bill, with the record noting minority opposition. - Senate Bill 2122A (Fahey), authorizing civil penalties related to foreclosed properties; the bill was reported (the transcript records an AWR from Senator Hellman during the vote as noted). - Senate Bill 2134A (Krueger), amending the Administrative Code of the City of New York related to lease nonrenewal when a building is slated for demolition; reported to the floor with minority opposition recorded. - Senate Bill 2291 (Harcum), expanding an assessment exemption for living quarters for parents or grandparents; reported to the floor. - Senate Bill 3886 (Gennaro), on tenant protections for people displaced by fire in New York City; the committee referred the bill to finance and reported it for referral. - Senate Bill 5662A (Kavanaugh), to eliminate the shelter‑rent tax in New York City and authorize similar action statewide; the committee debated fiscal and oversight implications and reported the bill. - Senate Bill 5940 (Zufus), to permit sealed unvented attics using certain air‑impermeable insulation as an option to meet code; the committee discussed technical concerns and reported the bill. - Senate Bill 8170A (Kavanaugh), extending and expanding the J‑51 tax abatement for preserving habitability in affordable housing; the committee reported the bill.

Vote specifics and formal tallies were not fully recorded in the transcript for every measure. Where the transcript records named dissent or particular notations, this article references that recording rather than extrapolating a full roll call. For example, the record notes minority opposition on some bills and mentions individual negative votes for certain items; the committee otherwise reported the bills to the floor.

The committee closed the meeting after completing its agenda; each reported bill will proceed to the next stage of Senate consideration.