New York S 7903: Enacts the safe housing transfer for domestic violence victims act

Bill Text

Bill Search and Legislative Information | New York State Assembly 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 Skip to main content 

 New York State Assembly

 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

 --> 
 --> 

 --> 

• 
 Assembly Members 

• 
 Legislative Info 

• 
 Public Hearings 

• 
 Speaker's Press 

• 
 Assembly Reports 

• 
 Committees & More 

• Bill Search Home
• Laws
• Legislative Calendar
• Public Hearing Schedule
• Assembly Calendars
• Assembly Committee Agenda 

 Javascript must be enabled to properly view this page. 

 Bill No.: 

• Summary 
• Actions 
• Committee&nbspVotes 
• Floor&nbspVotes 
• Memo 
• Text 
• LFIN 
• Chamber&nbspVideo/Transcript 
S07903 Summary:

BILL NOS07903 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A08312

&nbsp

SPONSORBAILEY

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §227-c, RP L; amd §14, Pub Hous L

&nbsp

Enacts the safe housing transfer for domestic violence victims act; ensures safe housing transfers for domestic violence victims in public and private housing; requires landlord response within seven days of a relocation request.

Go to top S07903 Actions:

BILL NOS07903 

&nbsp

05/13/2025REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

01/07/2026REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

Go to topS07903 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS07903 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS07903 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 7903

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 May 13, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary

 AN ACT to amend the real property law and the public housing law, in
 relation to ensuring safe housing transfers for domestic violence
 victims

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "safe hous-
 2 ing transfer for domestic violence victims act".
 3 § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that
 4 domestic violence victims face significant barriers to securing safe
 5 housing. While existing law permits early lease termination, victims
 6 often face challenges finding new affordable housing. This act seeks to
 7 expand protections by allowing landlords of affordable housing proper-
 8 ties to offer safe relocation options to domestic violence victims,
 9 ensuring housing stability while prioritizing victim safety.
 10 § 3. Subdivision 6 of section 227-c of the real property law is renum-
 11 bered subdivision 7 and a new subdivision 6 is added to read as follows:
 12 6. Right to relocation for domestic violence victims. (a) (i) Any
 13 tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, as such term is defined in
 14 section four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law, shall have
 15 the right to request a transfer to another dwelling unit owned or oper-
 16 ated by the same landlord within a reasonable geographic proximity,
 17 subject to availability.
 18 (ii) Landlords shall prioritize transfer requests under this subdivi-
 19 sion over non-emergency tenant transfers and vacancies for new appli-
 20 cants.
 21 (iii) Landlords shall not retaliate against a tenant who requests to
 22 relocate under this subdivision by taking any adverse action against
 23 such tenant including, but not limited to, eviction, harassment, or
 24 denial of lease renewal.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD11911-01-5

 S. 7903 2

 1 (b) A tenant requesting relocation under this section shall submit
 2 such request for relocation to the landlord orally or in writing.
 3 (c) (i) A landlord shall respond to a relocation request submitted in
 4 accordance with this subdivision within seven days of receiving such
 5 request and shall include a list of available dwelling units and their
 6 fair market value rent.
 7 (A) For equivalent dwelling units, the landlord shall offer such units
 8 without requiring additional security deposits, application fees, or
 9 increased rent beyond the standard allowable rent for the new units.
 10 (B) For dwelling units which are not equivalent to the tenant's
 11 current unit, the landlord shall offer such units at fair market value
 12 including any additional security deposits necessary; however, no addi-
 13 tional application fees shall be charged.
 14 (ii) Where a landlord does not have any other available dwelling units
 15 within their housing portfolio, the landlord may deny the request within
 16 seven days of receiving such request and shall include a written expla-
 17 nation for such denial and references to alternative housing resources.
 18 (d) When a landlord violates the provisions of this subdivision, a
 19 tenant may file a complaint with the division of housing and community
 20 renewal who shall investigate such complaint and enforce the provisions
 21 o