By ALVARO BLANCO
The City Council Committee on Aging on Tuesday unanimously passed two measures designed to make the lives of older residents of city housing more comfortable.
The first measure would require, by July 1 2016, The Department of Aging to develop, publish and distribute a guide for building owners regarding modifications made to buildings with an older population so as to allow these tenants to remain comfortable for as long as possible.
Some of these modifications, under counsel from the Department of Buildings, Department of Housing and Office for Persons with Disabilities, include improved lighting, railings, more grab bars, wider doors and hallways. The Department of Aging guide would also have to include information on sources of funding for these improvements.
In addition to this proposal, the committee passed a resolution to ask the New York State legislature to keep the rent exemption and rent freezing benefits for old tenants.
“Since the income cap was raised to $50,000 last year an additional 13,000 people became eligible for these programs. 13,000 who would lose that right if the state does not renew funding in 2016,” said Councilwoman Rosenthal.
The City Council is expected to pass both the measure and resolution.
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