S 3937: Prohibits the imposition of limits on the length of stay at homeless shelters and emergency congregate housing operated by state agencies.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3937 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 30, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to prohibiting restrictions on the length of shelter stay The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 2 44-a to read as follows: 3 § 44-a. Shelter stay limitation prohibition. 1. For the purposes of 4 this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 5 (a) "Emergency congregate housing" shall mean any location operated by 6 a state agency, city agency, or local municipality or a provider under 7 contract or similar agreement with a state agency, city agency, or local 8 municipality where individuals and families reside for more than nine- 9 ty-six continuous hours and where such individuals and families sleep in 10 a congregate setting with shared facilities, including but not limited 11 to sleeping quarters and bathrooms, but shall not include any location 12 operated by the department, or a provider under contract or similar 13 agreement with the department. 14 (b) "Homeless youth" shall have the same meaning as set forth in 15 subdivision two of section five hundred thirty-two-a of the executive 16 law, and shall include homeless young adults. 17 (c) "Homeless young adult" shall have the same meaning as set forth in 18 subdivision nine of section five hundred thirty-two-a of the executive 19 law. 20 (d) "Shelter" shall have the same meaning as "homeless project", as 21 defined by subdivision one of section forty-two of this title. 22 2. (a) No state agency shall impose limits on the length of time an 23 individual or family may reside in shelter or emergency congregate hous- 24 ing. Absent imminent danger or a request from an individual or family 25 to be transferred, the state agency, city agency, or local municipality EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01698-01-5 
 S. 3937 2 1 or a provider under contract or similar agreement with a state agency, 2 city agency, or local municipality shall not move individuals or fami- 3 lies from their placement, so long as that placement complies with all 4 city, state, federal and municipal laws. 5 (b) To reside in shelter operated by the department, or a provider 6 under contract or similar agreement with the department, an individual 7 or family must maintain eligibility for temporary housing assistance 8 pursuant to section 352.25 of the New York code, rules and regulations. 9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.