S 958: Relates to making certain housing programs available regardless of immigration status; provides that local social services districts in a city with a population of five million or more shall be permitted to offer certain housing programs to individuals or families who would be eligible but for a federal law restricting eligibility based on immigration.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 958 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- 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 making certain housing programs available regardless of immigration status 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 2 131-bbb to read as follows: 3 § 131-bbb. Local social services housing programs in accordance with 4 subsection d of 8 U.S.C. 1621. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of 5 law to the contrary, for a local social services district with a popu- 6 lation of five million or more, the commissioner shall permit such 7 district to make the program set forth in chapter ten of title sixty- 8 eight of the rules of the city of New York, or any successor program, 9 available to families and individuals who would be eligible but for such 10 federal law restricting eligibility for such benefits based on immi- 11 gration status; and to administer the program in accordance with a plan 12 approved pursuant to 18 N.Y.C.R.R. § 352.3(a)(3). 13 2. Funds appropriated by New York state for services and expenses of a 14 program to provide shelter supplements at local option to individuals 15 and families regardless of immigration status shall be authorized by the 16 department to reimburse a local social services district with a popu- 17 lation of five million or more to fund the program set forth in subdivi- 18 sion one of this section pursuant to the approved plan provided that 19 funds are first used to reimburse rental costs above the maximum rent 20 levels in place as of January first, two thousand twenty-one up to the 21 United States department of housing and urban development's fair market 22 rent level for the family homelessness and eviction prevention supple- 23 ment pursuant to section one hundred thirty-one-bb of this title. 24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02337-01-5