NY A11548

Renames the "Municipal Sustainable Energy Loan Program" to the "Municipal Sustainable Energy Financing Program" to expand funding mechanisms beyond direct loans to include bonds, credit support, and other financing arrangements.

Authorizes municipalities with power to enforce tax liens to use proceeds from bonds issued by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and other funding sources (grants, authority monies from the Green Jobs - Green New York Fund) to finance renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.

Establishes financing as a lien on benefitted property with priority over all liens except tax liens and special assessments, allowing charges to be collected on tax bills and enforced under real property tax collection procedures.

Grants cities with populations of one million or more persons authority to establish their own criteria for cost-effective energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy technologies, and to create not-for-profit corporations to administer programs; makes bonds issued under the program tax-exempt and eligible for investment by public entities and financial institutions.

Adds consumer protection requirements including upfront disclosure of all financing terms, effects of non-payment, property transfer impacts, estimated monthly/yearly payments and energy savings, and a non-acceleration provision preventing default on one missed payment from accelerating future payments.