Bill > A09164

This bill amends the public housing law to establish uniform waiting list priorities for domestic violence survivors applying for public housing, meaning that individuals who are victims of domestic violence will receive priority for housing transfers and placements if they will continue to suffer abuse in their current residence or have already left their home due to abuse and are not in permanent housing. The bill defines "domestic violence" according to federal law (34 U.S.C. section 12291 (a) (12)) and clarifies that when applicants have the same preference status, the earliest application date and time will determine priority. While public housing authorities can maintain their own priority systems, victims of domestic violence must receive the highest priority unless the system already prioritizes homeless individuals or municipal agency referrals. Importantly, this provision does not apply to cities with a population of one million or more, such as New York City.