Int. No. 1181
By Council Member Wilson
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to informing warming center visitors about social services
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 21-157 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 100 for the year 2026, is amended to read as follows:
§ 21-157 [Reporting on warming] Warming centers. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Accessible. The term “accessible” means a warming center complies with the requirements of accessibility for persons with disabilities that are applicable to such warming center under applicable federal, state and local law, including, but not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as codified at chapter 126 of title 42 of the United States code.
Enhanced code blue alert. The term “enhanced code blue alert” means a weather emergency notice that the city issues when the temperature or wind chill is forecasted to reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Visitor. The term “visitor” means an individual who visits a warming center.
Vulnerable population. The term “vulnerable population” means a group of persons in the city who are at a greater health risk of harm than the general population during an enhanced cold blue alert including, but not limited to, older adults, low-income individuals and families, individuals with disabilities or mobility impairments, individuals with chronic health conditions, young children and infants, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
Warming center. The term “warming center” means a space designated by the city for the public to obtain refuge during an enhanced code blue alert that is operated by the department or the office of emergency management.
a-1. Requesting agency employees. Upon the request of warming center staff, the commissioner shall send department employees to the warming center for the purpose of informing visitors about available department services and assisting them with applying for such services. If a visitor requires assistance regarding services that the department does not provide, the commissioner shall coordinate with the relevant agency to send employees of such agency to the warming center for the purpose of informing visitors about such services and assisting them with applying for such services. At least once per year, the commissioner shall provide warming center staff with information about when and how to request the presence or assistance of department employees and employees of other agencies and shall include such information as part of any training the commissioner provides to warming center staff.
b. Annual reporting on warming centers. No later than April 15, 2027, and annually by April 15 thereafter, the commissioner, in collaboration with the commissioner of emergency management, shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council assessing warming centers during the prior calendar year, and shall post such report on the department’s website in a machine-readable format. Such report shall consider the scope, accessibility, and equity of such warming centers and shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
1. A list of each warming center, indicating for each such warming center the following information:
(a) The name of such center;
(b) The zip code and borough in which such center operated;
(c) The type of space in which such center was located, including, but not limited to, a community center, a public library, a New York city housing authority building or a school;
(d) The number of days and the number of hours per day that such center operated;
(e) The number of staff in such center;
(f) The total number of visitors to such center; and
(g) Whether such center is accessible.
2. An assessment of the geographic availability of warming centers, including analysis of whether such warming centers are reasonably available and accessible for vulnerable populations; [and]
3. Recommendations to improve the availability, geographic distribution, accessibility, equity, and utilization of warming centers for the city’s general population and for vulnerable populations[.];
4. The following information about each warming center request for agency employees pursuant to subdivision a-1 of this section:
(a) Location of warming center;
(b) Date of request;
(c) Identified need of visitor that prompted the request;
(d) The agency requested; and
(e) Agency response and service provided to visitor;
5. A summary of the information that the department provided to warming center staff, as required in subdivision a-1 of this section; and
6. Recommendations about how to improve efforts to connect visitors with the department or other agencies.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
NY
LS #25842
10/14/2026 4:23 PM