BILL NUMBER: S5230
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law and the state finance law, in relation
to expanding eligibility for participation in the resilient retrofits
loan and grant program and establishing the resilient retrofit loan and
grant fund
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide backed up private sewers in multiple dwellings and single
family residences access to needed funding for sewer line replacement
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 29k to the executive law to extend the
resilient retrofits loans and grant program expansion. The division of
housing and community renewal, in conjunction with the comptroller, Home
Headquarters, Inc., and community development Long Island (CDLI), shall
establish and administer the resilient retrofits loan and grant program.
The program would provide low to no interest loans for hazard miti-
gation, cleanups, and upgrades of private sewers and cover 80 percent of
the cost of such upgrades.
Section 2 establishes a fund for the program and maintains criteria for
public expenditures of such fund. Section 3 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
There are unsafe sewers in New York City communities. More support is
sorely needed for private sewer repairs, cleanups, and upgrades. This
measure will help protect the safety, financial stability, and housing
security of homeowners, and uphold the rights of residents to a clean
and healthy environment. NYC has historically invested less money and
resources in Black, Brown, and immigrant communities, which now face
greater risks of flooding and sewage backups. Queens residents consist-
ently make the most backup calls to DEP of any borough, and in 2022
alone had over 4,000 backup complaints involving private sewer issues.
East Elmhurst has an area of about 35 homes on a public sewer line that
faces chronic backups. Many residents have serious health issues like
illnesses and infections, and many do not have insurance. Most could
benefit from the installation of mechanisms like automatic backwater
valves, which would cost $10k per home. Residents also currently cover
the costs of cleaning and repairing flood damage, which can range up to
$33k for a serious backup. Providing another $10k per home for various
repairs, upgrades, and cleanup costs would make a massive difference.
Total initial estimate of $700k. South Jamaica has a community of 20
homes connected on a failing private sewer line that needs frequent
repair and maintenance (roughly $10k per year in total).
DEP has pledged to build a public line for this area within 3-4 years.
Residents must make 'lateral' connections to the public line, which cost
$15k per house, for a total estimate of $310k, and that money, many
residents cannot and will not be able to afford. This bill is one remedy
with a compelling government interests that can and will alleviate
parens patriae issues in addition to mitigating risks to public health
in the region.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S8581 Comrie/ A9342 Anderson
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
The state will need to allocate 20 million dollars for this fund.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become law. Effective immediately, the amendment, addition and/or repeal
of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act
on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or
before such effective date.