Memo of Support: Receivership + Abandoned Property
Memorandum of Support: A.3241 (McDonald), S.6721 (Ryan) A.5337 (McDonald), S.5377 (Cooney)
The Preservation League of New York State is the statewide historic preservation nonprofit — leading advocacy, economic development and education programs across the state. We write in support of amending the real property actions and proceedings law with regard to the following Bills:
A.3241 (McDonald)/S.6721 (Ryan) to expand the applicability of the receivership law to the entire state of New York for the purpose of remedying conditions dangerous to life, health or safety; and
A.5337 (McDonald), S.5377 (Cooney) relating to special proceedings to convey title to abandoned real property to cities, towns or villages.
The aforementioned legislation aims to address real property issues, which will result in the ability to maintain safe and livable housing, stabilize neighborhoods, and contribute to the overall quality of life for residents across New York State. A.3241/S.6721 will deter building vacancy and demolition of unsafe properties, keeping more of our older residential buildings well-maintained and out of landfills. This tool will help address building code violations and situations when buildings have fallen into serious disrepair. It will be particularly helpful in cases where tenants voice complaints to landlords, yet issues remain unaddressed. Currently only available for the New York City region, this bill will add receivership as a statewide tool.
A.5337/S.5377 enables a municipality to take title of abandoned real property in cases where a zoning, housing, building or property maintenance code violation remains unremedied for a period of at least one year. This will limit unsafe structures from remaining a public threat and increase the ability for a property to be successfully returned to a habitable condition rather than incur demolition - which is both costly and not environmentally sustainable.
We applaud the NYS Senate’s passage of S.5377 and urge the NYS Assembly to pass its companion bill, A.5337. We also ask the NYS Assembly and Senate to adopt A.3241/S.6721. These bills will help efforts to remedy conditions dangerous to life/health/safety, limit the negative environmental impacts of demolition, and retain our built environment. Thank you to Assemblymember McDonald and Senators Ryan and Cooney for their leadership.