Int. No. 1096
By Council Members Williams and Narcisse
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a public outreach and education program to assist homeowners at risk of displacement
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Title 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 40 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 40
HOMEOWNER ADVOCACY, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION
§ 26-4001 Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
Community district. The term “community district” means a geographic area established pursuant to chapter 69 of the New York city charter.
Displacement. The term “displacement” means the relocation of low- or moderate-income residents from a home or neighborhood due in part to changing socioeconomic pressures making residency in such home or neighborhood infeasible or undesirable.
Homeowner advocate. The term “homeowner advocate” means the head of the office of the homeowner advocate.
Mayor’s office of deed theft prevention. The term “mayor’s office of deed theft prevention” means the office established pursuant to executive order number 16, dated April 24, 2026, or any successor entity.
Office of the homeowner advocate. The term “office of the homeowner advocate” means the office established pursuant to section 1807 of the New York city charter.
§ 26-4002 Homeowner outreach and education. a. Outreach and education program. No later than 180 days after the effective date of the local law that added this chapter, the homeowner advocate, in consultation with the commissioner of consumer and worker protection, the commissioner of social services, and the director of the mayor’s office of deed theft prevention, shall establish and implement an outreach and education program to assist homeowners experiencing or at risk of displacement. Pursuant to such program, the homeowner advocate shall, at a minimum: (i) make informational materials developed pursuant to paragraph 1 of subdivision b of this section available on the department’s website in English and each of the designated citywide languages, as defined in section 23-1101; (ii) distribute such materials to community-based organizations that provide services to homeowners in the community districts determined to be at greatest risk of displacement in the coming year pursuant to subdivision c of this section; and (iii) hold an in-person outreach event each year in at least one of the community districts determined to be at greatest risk of displacement in the coming year pursuant to subdivision c of this section.
b. Informational materials. 1. No later than 180 days after the effective date of the local law that added this chapter, the homeowner advocate shall develop informational materials for homeowners experiencing or at risk of displacement. Such materials shall include information on the following topics:
(a) Recognizing and avoiding fraudulent and predatory lending and refinancing practices;
(b) Financial assistance, counseling, and any other services available to homeowners who are financially distressed or are victims of fraudulent or predatory practices;
(c) Legal services organizations that provide low cost or free legal assistance to homeowners;
(d) Property tax rates, applicable property tax relief programs, and how to appeal notices of property value; and
(e) Any other information that the homeowner advocate deems relevant.
2. The homeowner advocate shall review the informational materials developed pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subdivision on an annual basis and update such materials as needed.
c. Community district determinations. No later than 180 days after the effective date of the local law that added this chapter and every year thereafter, the commissioner, in consultation with the homeowner advocate, the commissioner of consumer and worker protection, the commissioner of social services, and the director of the mayor’s office of deed theft prevention, shall submit to the mayor and speaker of the council a report on rates of displacement among community districts in the city and a determination of which community districts are at greatest risk of displacement in the coming year. In evaluating such rates of displacement, the commissioner shall consider, at a minimum, the following factors for each community district:
1. Eviction rates;
2. Foreclosure rates;
3. Increases in property value;
4. Sale and rent prices of residential properties;
5. Rates of tenants who are rent-burdened;
6. Rates of homelessness;
7. Significant changes in funding for public infrastructure;
8. Closures of local businesses; and
9. Overall demographic changes of residents.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
FO
LS #3560
8/26/2026 10:30 AM