Bill > S05001

This bill modifies the definition of "family member" in public housing law to expand the categories of people who can be considered part of a tenant's family. Specifically, the bill adds siblings of parents and children of siblings to the existing list of family members, which previously included more traditional family relationships like spouse, child, parent, and grandparent. The bill retains a broader, flexible definition that allows for other individuals to be considered family members if they can demonstrate emotional and financial commitment and interdependence through various factors such as sharing expenses, intermingling finances, engaging in family activities, formalizing legal obligations, and holding themselves out as family members. The bill aims to provide a more inclusive definition of family that recognizes diverse family structures and relationships, ensuring that tenants have more options for who can be considered a family member in the context of public housing regulations. The changes will take effect on the first day of January following the bill's passage into law.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5001