N.Y.C. Admin. Code § L.L. 2012/007: L.L. 2012/007

Enactment date: 2/16/2012

Int. No. 753-A

By Council Members Palma, Brewer, Cabrera, Chin, Comrie Jr., Crowley, Dickens, Dromm, Fidler, James, Koslowitz, Lander, Levin, Mark-Viverito, Mendez, Vacca, Williams, Wills, Gonzalez, Vann, Rodriguez, Eugene, Rose, Arroyo, Recchia, Van Bramer, Jackson, Ferreras, Lappin, Koppell, Mealy, Barron, Garodnick and Sanders Jr.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and local law number 63 for the year 2005, relating to tracking and reporting by the department of health and mental hygiene, in relation to requiring such department to track and report deaths of homeless persons in the city of New York.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Declaration of legislative findings and intent. In 2005, at the time Local Law 63 was enacted, Department of Homeless Services (DHS) reports indicated that there were approximately 35,000 people living in the shelter system. According to DHS data from December 2011, nearly 40,000 homeless men, women and children were residing in the shelter system, including approximately 17,000 children. Furthermore, according to DHS's most recent estimate, as of January 2011 more than 2,600 people were unsheltered. Prior to the enactment of Local Law 63, the City did not report how many deaths occur within the homeless population, where they occur, or the causes behind them. Local Law 63, by its own terms, was deemed repealed on January 30, 2012. The Council finds that in order to meet the needs of homeless New Yorkers, whose numbers have increased in recent years, the City needs to extend existing legislation requiring the periodic gathering of information regarding deaths of homeless people. Tracking and reporting these deaths helps the City better understand the challenges faced by homeless persons in New York City, and assists in the creation of policies and programs designed to safeguard such persons and prevent future unnecessary deaths.

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[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

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§ 3. Section 4 of local law number 63 for the year 2005 is amended to read as follows:

§ 4. Effective date. This local law shall take effect immediately after its enactment into law [and shall be deemed repealed on January 30, 2012].

§ 4. This local law shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after January 30, 2012.