New York S 1557: Enacts the "tenants organizing act"

Bill Text

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S01557 Summary:

BILL NOS01557 

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SAME ASSAME AS A01535

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SPONSORMAY

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COSPNSRSALAZAR

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MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §230, RP L

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Enacts the "tenants organizing act"; allows tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations to invite outside guests or visitors including elected officials, services providers, housing lawyers, etc. without being required to pay fees; defines "tenants' organization"; provides for activities that tenants' organizations can take part in; provides for the manner in how a tenants' organization is established.

Go to top S01557 Actions:

BILL NOS01557 

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01/10/2025REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

05/20/2025REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

01/07/2026REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

05/19/2026REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Go to topS01557 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS01557 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS01557 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 1557

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 10, 2025
 ___________

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

 AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to enacting the
 "tenants organizing act"

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

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "tenants organizing act".
 3 § 2. Section 230 of the real property law, as added by chapter 809 of
 4 the laws of 1975 and subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 90 of the laws
 5 of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
 6 § 230. Right of tenants to form, join or participate in tenants'
 7 groups. 1. For the purposes of this section, the term "tenants' organ-
 8 ization" means a bona fide organization of tenants who represent the
 9 occupied rental units in a rental housing property with five units or
 10 more, or a bona fide organization working to achieve such status.
 11 Tenants' organizations may engage in the following activities, including
 12 but not limited to: (a) initiating contact with tenants, including by
 13 conducting door-to-door surveys, to ascertain interest in or seek
 14 support for forming a tenant organization; (b) joining or supporting
 15 another tenant organization; (c) distributing literature; (d) requesting
 16 or providing information; (e) offering assistance; (f) convening meet-
 17 ings, which may occur without a landlord or landlord representative
 18 present; or (g) otherwise acting on behalf of one or more tenants in the
 19 building regarding issues of common interest or concern.
 20 2. No landlord shall interfere with the right of a tenant to form,
 21 join or participate in the lawful activities of any group, committee or
 22 other organization formed to protect the rights of tenants; nor shall
 23 any landlord harass, punish, penalize, diminish, or withhold any right,
 24 benefit or privilege of a tenant under [his] their tenancy for exercis-
 25 ing such right.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00053-01-5

 S. 1557 2

 1 [2.] 3. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations
 2 shall have the right to meet without being required to pay a fee in any
 3 location on the premises including a community or social room where use
 4 is normally subject to a fee which is devoted to the common use of all
 5 tenants in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstruct-
 6 ing access to the premises or facilities. No landlord shall deny such
 7 right.
 8 4. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations shall
 9 have the right to invite outside guests or visitors, including but not
 10 limited to elected officials, service providers, and housing lawyers, to
 11 their regular meetings without being required to pay a fee in any
 12 location on the premises including a community or social room where use
 13 is normally subject to a fee which is devoted to the common use of all
 14 tenants in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstruct-
 15 ing access to