ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
New York State has a broad spectrum of housing needs. Within a few hundred square miles, housing markets are starkly different. Whether it is an apartment in a large complex or a home in a rural community, New York State's housing programs are tailored to meet these needs. Some examples of these programs include: the Main Street Program, which revitalizes deteriorated buildings located in and around local community centers while creating affordable housing units in renovated buildings; the HOPE/RESTORE program, which provides funds to help elderly residents make emergency repairs; the Access to Homes program, which outfits homes with accessibility features such as wheel chair ramps and lifts, handrails and other accessibility features; the Low Income Housing Trust fund, which provides funding for the construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low-income households; and the Affordable Housing Corporation, which provides grants and loans for the rehabilitation and construction of one to four-family dwellings for low to moderate-income New Yorkers. While the programs may differ in their goals, they all work in tandem to provide support and services to address the wide variety of housing needs across the State. This hearing will examine existing programs, explore the potential for modifications to existing programs, and consider the creation of new programs to continue to meet New Yorkers' need for affordable, safe and clean housing.
Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.
Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.
Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.
In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.
In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.
Vito Lopez
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Housing