Int. No. 1054
By Council Members Hudson, Louis, Gutiérrez, Restler, Ossé, Riley, Schulman, Narcisse, Farías, Williams, Krishnan, Joseph, Stevens, Won and Brannan
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a 10-year plan to support aging in place
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York, is amended by adding a new section 21-205.1 to read as follows:
§ 21-205.1 Aging in place plan. a. Definitions. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
Aging in place. The term “aging in place” means the phenomenon where older adults decide to stay in their own home or remain in their current community as they age.
Cooperating agencies. The term “cooperating agencies” means the department of buildings, the department of housing preservation and development, the department of transportation, and any other agency that the department deems necessary.
Naturally occurring retirement community. The term “naturally occurring retirement community” has the same meaning as set forth in section 209 of the elder law.
Neighborhood naturally occurring retirement community. The term “neighborhood naturally occurring retirement community” has the same meaning as set forth in section 209 of the elder law.
Older adults. The term “older adults” means persons who are 60 years of age or older.
b. Ten-year plan. No later than 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner, in consultation with cooperating agencies, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a 10-year aging in place plan. Such aging in place plan shall focus on assisting older adults with aging in place throughout the city, including in naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities, and shall include, but need not be limited to:
1. An evaluation of potential improvements and investments to enhance the existing healthcare facilities, social services, transportation, and other supportive services that help older adults successfully age in place throughout the city, including within naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities;
2. An evaluation of the potential accessibility improvements that may enhance such communities, including the installation of lighting, railings, grab bars, ramps, elevators, escalators, curb cuts, and enhancements such as the widening of doorways and hallways, and other accessibility features;
3. Plans for supportive services and accessibility improvement projects the department and cooperating agencies will initiate and complete throughout the 10-year plan, disaggregated by borough and address;
4. Information on the existing state of naturally occurring retirement communities, including their locations, vacancy rates, contact information for buildings and service providers; and
5. The resources that the department, in coordination with cooperating agencies, believe will be needed for the purpose of implementing and maintaining supportive services and accessibility improvement projects throughout the city, including within such naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities.
c. Implementation. The department shall make best efforts to begin implementing the recommendations included in the aging in place plan upon the plan’s publication.
d. Progress reports. Two years after the publication of the aging in place plan, and every 2 years thereafter until the completion of the plan, the commissioner shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a report detailing the status of the implementation of projects and recommendations included in the plan.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
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LS 11651, 17817
09/17/24 10:09 AM