A 1640: Requires landlords to replace a lock on a tenant's dwelling door within 24 hours of a request by a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence; provides civil penalties for violations in relation thereto.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1640 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, TAYLOR -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing AN ACT to amend the real property law and the multiple dwelling law, in relation to requiring landlords to replace a lock on a tenant's door when domestic violence is alleged The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new section 2 238-b to read as follows: 3 § 238-b. Rights of tenants to a new door lock when domestic violence 4 is alleged. 1. A tenant who has a lock installed and maintained by the 5 landlord in the entrance door of their dwelling and is a victim of an 6 alleged domestic violence incident may request such lock be replaced 7 within twenty-four hours of such alleged domestic violence incident. Any 8 such landlord who receives a request pursuant to this subdivision shall 9 comply with the request within twenty-four hours of such alleged domes- 10 tic violence incident. Proof of an alleged domestic violence incident 11 shall include but not be limited to a police report, a restraining order 12 or any other court document or signed attestation alleging a domestic 13 violence incident involving the tenant. 14 2. A landlord who violates the provisions of this section shall be 15 subject to a civil penalty in an amount to be as follows: 16 (a) one hundred dollars for failure to replace such lock within twen- 17 ty-four hours of the alleged domestic violence incident; 18 (b) two hundred fifty dollars for failure to replace such lock within 19 forty-eight hours of the alleged domestic violence incident; and 20 (c) five hundred dollars for each subsequent twenty-four hours after 21 the initial forty-eight hours since the alleged domestic violence inci- 22 dent until such lock is replaced. 23 § 2. Section 51-c of the multiple dwelling law, as added by chapter 24 806 of the laws of 1968, is amended to read as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03946-01-5 
 A. 1640 2 1 § 51-c. Rights of tenants to install and maintain locks in certain 2 entrance doors. 1. Every tenant of a multiple dwelling, except a tenant 3 of a multiple dwelling under the supervision and control of a municipal 4 housing authority, occupied by [him] such tenant, except as a hotel or 5 motel, or college or school dormitory, shall have the right to install 6 and maintain or cause to be installed and maintained in the entrance 7 door of [his] their particular housing unit in such multiple dwelling, a 8 lock, separate and apart from any lock installed and maintained by the 9 owner of such multiple dwelling, not more than three inches in circum- 10 ference, as an ordinary incident to [his] their tenancy, provided that a 11 duplicate key to such lock shall be supplied to the landlord or [his] 12 such landlord's agent upon [his] request; and every provision of any 13 lease hereafter made or entered into which reserves or provides for the 14 payment by such tenant of any additional rent, bonus, fee or other 15 charge or any other thing of value for the right or privilege of 16 installing and/or maintaining any such lock, shall be deemed to be void 17 as against public policy and wholly unenforceable. 18 2. (a) A tenant who has a lock installed and maintained by the owner 19 of a multiple dwelling in the entrance door of their particular housing 20 unit in such multiple dwelling, except a tenant of a multiple dwelling 21 under the supervision and control of a municipal housing authority, and 22 is a victim of an alleged domestic violence incident may request such 23 lock be replaced within twenty-four hours of such alleged domestic 24 violence incident. Any such owner of a multiple dwelling who receives a 25 request pursuant to this subdivision shall comply with the request with- 26 in twenty-four hours of such alleged domestic violence incident. Proof 27 of an alleged domestic violence incident shall include but not be limit- 28 ed to a police report, a restraining order or any other court document 29 or signed attestation alleging a domestic violence incident involving a 30 tenant. 31 (b) An owner of a multiple dwelling who violates the provisions of 32 this subdivision shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount to be 33 as follows: 34 (i) one hundred dollars for failure to replace such lock within twen- 35 ty-four hours of the alleged domestic violence incident; 36 (ii) two hundred fifty dollars for failure to replace such lock within 37 forty-eight hours of the alleged domestic violence incident; and 38 (iii) five hundred dollars for each subsequent twenty-four hours after 39 the initial forty-eight hours since the alleged domestic violence inci- 40 dent until such lock is replaced. 41 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.