NY A07367

Empowers public welfare officials to withhold rent payments to landlords when violations of the warranty of habitability under Real Property Law Section 235-b exist in buildings where welfare recipients reside.

Requires public welfare departments to obtain and maintain current records of habitability violations in buildings where welfare recipients live.

Establishes that welfare recipients can use existing habitability violations as a valid defense against non-payment of rent claims and protects them from eviction or monetary judgments during periods when such violations were outstanding.

Requires public welfare departments to seek a rent diminution from landlords for the period during which habitability violations existed, rather than merely allowing optional provision for withheld rent payments.

Updates gender-specific language throughout the statute to use gender-neutral terms ("their" instead of "his," "they" instead of "he").