Legislation Aims To Address Housing Discrimination Across New York State

ALBANY – New legislation aims to address housing discrimination across New York State.

The legislative package would implement fair housing practices, implicit bias training, compensatory relief to victims of housing discrimination, create an anti-discrimination housing fund and increase required training.

The bills were created following two public hearings and an investigative report on fair housing and discrimination.

This legislative package, officially announced to the public on Monday, includes:

Annual Covert Fair Housing Testing: Senate Bill S.112, requires the attorney general to conduct annual covert fair housing testing to assess compliance with fair housing laws

Implicit Bis Training: Senate Bill S.538B, requires real estate brokers and salespersons to receive implicit bias training as a part of their license renewal process
Compensatory Damages: Senate Bill S.715, compels the Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights to award compensatory damages, punitive damages or other relief to victims of housing discrimination

Anti-Discrimination Housing Fund: Senate Bill S.1353, establishes the State’s Obligation to “Affirmatively Further Fair Housing;” directing the commissioner and heads of all housing agencies to establish and administer housing programs in a man that affirmatively further fair housing
Identify Brokers: Senate Bill S.1448, requires that real estate salesperson and real estate brokers licensed by the Department of State legibly write their name and license number whenever required to sign a document to make it easier to identify brokers
Increases Required Training: Senate Bill S.2132B, requires additional testing and training for initial licensing of brokers and salespeople, including the specific course on fair housing laws the legacy of segregation and anti-bias training and requires licensing course faculty to certify that curriculum complies with Department of State regulations

Standardized Client Procedures: Senate Bill S.2131A, requires standardized client intake procedures for real estate brokers
Surcharge Fee: Senate Bill S.2133A, adds a surcharge to the fee paid for issuing or reissuing a real estate broker or salesmen license and directs the new funds to be used for fair housing testing by the Attorney General
Statutory Obligations of Oversight: Senate Bill S.2157A, requires associate real estate brokers serving as real estate officer managers to exercise supervision over other associate brokers and real estate salesmen