Bills affecting Currently unhoused in New York — 2026 session

Requires that no homeless shelter shall be located within five hundred feet of a transit facility.

Establishes the homeless protection act which designates certain offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes; includes the definition of homelessness.

Requires that no homeless shelter shall be located within five hundred feet of a transit facility or within a building that has a rent-controlled or rent-stabilized dwelling unit.

Prohibits the location of homeless shelters within five hundred feet of a school, place of worship or transit facility; provides an exception for a shelter program or food program operated by a place of worship.

Relates to requiring the Department of Homeless Services to notify the affected community board prior to locating transitional housing for the homeless; requires written notification sixty days before the department enters into a contractual arrangement with a transitional housing provider or otherwise finalizes its decision to use or expand a location as transitional housing.

Establishes a bill of rights for the unhoused; provides that no person shall be denied certain rights because of a state of homelessness nor shall such persons be harassed, cited, fined, or arrested by law enforcement, security personnel, public employees, or private citizens for the exercise of certain rights; describes rights; provides for a bill of benefits of the unhoused for the free provision of a postal address and the right to juridical services to ensure protection from the violation of their protected rights; requires the office of temporary and disability assistance to create a pamphlet of such rights; makes related provisions.

Relates to eliminating rent for homeless shelters; provides that a homeless individual or family applying for or receiving temporary housing assistance shall not be required to pay to any local or state government or agency or any provider, room and board or contribute any earned or unearned income, available benefits or resources to eliminate their need for temporary housing assistance or as a condition to receive temporary housing assistance from such provider.

Requires shelter allowances be set at up to one hundred percent of the fair market rent for the local social services district.

Relates to establishing the housing access voucher program; provides that the commissioner of the division of housing and community renewal shall implement a program of rental assistance in the form of housing vouchers for eligible individuals and families who are homeless or who face an imminent loss of housing; provides that the commissioner shall designate housing access voucher local administrators in the state to administer the program.

Provides that the comptroller shall examine and audit all state or federal funds appropriated or received for the humanitarian aid including short term shelter services to migrant individuals and families, including costs associated with humanitarian emergency response and relief centers for individuals entering short term shelter on or after April 1, 2024 in New York city or any other municipality in New York state.

Facilitates compliance with the sex offender registry for offenders without a registerable residence; defines "homeless sex offender" and "sex offender registration officer"; makes related provisions.

Prohibits the use of aversive conditioning which includes any procedure which causes obvious signs of physical pain, including but not limited to hitting, pinching and electric shock; prohibits the use of any procedure or punishment which denies a vulnerable person reasonable sleep, shelter, bedding, bathroom facilities and any other aspect expected of a humane existence; defines terms.

Relates to the assessment of extraordinary needs count for purposes of the apportionment of public moneys to school districts employing eight or more teachers; defines count of homeless children and children or youth in foster care.

Establishes a co-shelter toolkit of best practices, resources, case studies and other information deemed helpful to inform and encourage the implementation and sustenance of co-shelter models for victims of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness with companion animals; makes related provisions.

Relates to establishing distinctive "Women Veterans" plates and the women veterans support fund; establishes that moneys of the fund will be used for women veteran homelessness, counseling and other programs that support women veterans.

Relates to priority applicants and inspection of units under the housing access voucher pilot program; provides that priority shall be given both to applicants who are homeless and who are at risk of losing their federal rental subsidy; provides that housing access voucher local administrators shall inspect units for which a housing assistance payment contract is established.

Provides that schools, child day cares, day care centers, or community based organizations which support activities for children under the age of eighteen can not serve as a shelter for migrants.

Requires the office of temporary and disability assistance to make publicly available on its website information regarding waivers, rental supplement plans and shelter supplement plans.

Establishes a waiver program allowing a domestic violence residential program to apply to the office of children and family services for a waiver enabling a victim of domestic violence to remain at the program's shelter for a period exceeding one hundred and eighty days.

Relates to providing veterans' housing; requires state agencies that provide shelter to homeless veterans to do so based on federal housing first principles without preconditions or barriers.