Bill > A10259

This bill establishes the "Rural Housing Workforce Corps Act" as a pilot program for two years to address housing shortages in rural New York by creating a trained workforce to build modest, year-round housing units. The program, administered by the Department of Homes and Community Renewal in coordination with the New York State Commission on National and Community Service, will recruit and train between eight and twelve "corps members" annually, providing them with living allowances and educational stipends upon completion of service. These corps members will gain hands-on construction experience, working under the supervision of licensed professionals, while participating developers will handle site control, financing, and permitting. To support this initiative, the state will waive sales and use taxes on construction materials used in these projects, and the bill includes an appropriation of $500,000 for program implementation. The program will conclude and be repealed four years after its effective date, with a report on its outcomes and recommendations for future expansion to be submitted to the governor and legislature.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A10259