A 8312: Enacts the safe housing transfer for domestic violence victims act; ensures safe housing transfers for domestic violence victims in public and private housing; requires landlord response within seven days of a relocation request.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8312 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY May 13, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, 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) Any 13 tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, as such term is defined in 14 section four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law, shall have 15 the right to request a transfer to another dwelling unit owned or oper- 16 ated by the same landlord within a reasonable geographic proximity, 17 subject 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. LBD11911-01-5 
 A. 8312 2 1 (b) A tenant requesting relocation under this section shall submit 2 such request for relocation to the landlord orally or in writing. 3 (c) (i) A landlord shall respond to a relocation request submitted in 4 accordance with this subdivision within seven days of receiving such 5 request and shall include a list of available dwelling units and their 6 fair market value rent. 7 (A) For equivalent dwelling units, the landlord shall offer such units 8 without requiring additional security deposits, application fees, or 9 increased rent beyond the standard allowable rent for the new units. 10 (B) For dwelling units which are not equivalent to the tenant's 11 current unit, the landlord shall offer such units at fair market value 12 including any additional security deposits necessary; however, no addi- 13 tional application fees shall be charged. 14 (ii) Where a landlord does not have any other available dwelling units 15 within their housing portfolio, the landlord may deny the request within 16 seven days of receiving such request and shall include a written expla- 17 nation for such denial and references to alternative housing resources. 18 (d) When a landlord violates the provisions of this subdivision, a 19 tenant may file a complaint with the division of housing and community 20 renewal who shall investigate such complaint and enforce the provisions 21 of this subdivision. 22 § 4. Section 14 of the public housing law is amended by adding two new 23 subdivisions 8 and 9 to read as follows: 24 8. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations, rules and policies 25 which provide for the rights of tenants who are victims of domestic 26 violence, as such term is defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a 27 of the social services law, to request an emergency transfer to another 28 dwelling unit operated by the same or a comparable public housing 29 project. 30 (a) A tenant requesting emergency transfer under this section shall 31 submit such request to their public housing project orally or in writ- 32 ing. 33 (b) (i) A public housing project shall respond to an emergency trans- 34 fer request submitted in accordance with this subdivision within seven 35 days of receiving such request and shall include a list of available 36 dwelling units and their fair market value rent. 37 (A) For equivalent dwelling units, the public housing project shall 38 offer such units without requiring additional security deposits, appli- 39 cation fees, or increased rent beyond the standard allowable rent for 40 the new units. 41 (B) For dwelling units which are not equivalent to the tenant's 42 current unit, the public housing project shall offer such units at fair 43 market value including any additional security deposits necessary; 44 however, no additional application fees shall be charged. 45 (ii) Where a public housing project does not have any other available 46 dwelling units within their housing portfolio, the public housing 47 project may deny the request within seven days of receiving such request 48 and shall include a written explanation for such denial and references 49 to comparable public housing projects. 50 9. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations, rules and policies 51 which provide for the rights of tenants who are victims of domestic 52 violence, as such term is defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a 53 of the social services law, under section two hundred twenty-seven-c of 54 the real property law. 55 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.