Bill > S07745

This bill creates a comprehensive cooperative and condominium ombudsperson program designed to provide support, education, and dispute resolution services for residents and boards of cooperative housing corporations and condominium associations across New York State. The program will be administered by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, which will select a not-for-profit organization through a competitive bidding process to run the statewide initiative. Key services will include educating shareholders and unit owners about their legal rights, providing mediation and alternative dispute resolution to help avoid costly litigation, offering election monitoring services, and maintaining a statewide registry of cooperative and condominium properties. To fund the program, the bill establishes a new annual residential unit fee of six dollars per residential unit, which will be collected and deposited into a dedicated special fund. The ombudsperson program will have the authority to refer unresolved disputes to administrative hearings, provide resources and educational materials, and work with housing courts and other agencies to help resolve conflicts. The legislation aims to create a neutral, accessible resource that can help reduce disputes and promote fair governance in cooperative and condominium housing, while ensuring that program staff adhere to a strict code of ethics to maintain impartiality and public trust.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7745