SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

Restoration Plaza

Thursday
October 27, 2005
6-8 pm

1368 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11216

Please see below side for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony, and for a description of the bills which will be discussed at the hearing.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes’ duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees’ interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

1. What programs or incentives are currently available to seniors to assist them in retaining their homeownership status? What more can be done to make it easier for seniors to remain in the homes they own?

2. What can be done to ensure that tenants who are seniors can remain in their apartments? What incentives can landlords be given to keep rents affordable?

3. What programs exist to develop units of affordable senior housing? What can the State do to create more affordable housing options for seniors?

4. Senior homeowners are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous individuals and businesses. What can be done to better protect seniors from unscrupulous practices?

5. What sources of financing for home maintenance and repairs are available to seniors? Are there safe and viable financing options for seniors to remain in their homes?

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Preservation and Development of Affordable Housing for Senior Citizens are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Caryn Canfield
Legislative Associate
Assembly Committee on Housing
Room 513 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: canfiec@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4355
Fax: (518) 455-4128

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: