NY A00745

Creates the office of the cooperative and condominium ombudsman within the department of law, overseen by the attorney general, and appoints an ombudsman who must be an attorney with extensive experience in real estate, cooperative and condominium law, and alternative dispute resolution.

Authorizes the ombudsman to provide educational outreach, alternative dispute resolution services, election monitoring (when requested by 15% of voting interests or six residential units), subpoena authority, and referral of complaints to law enforcement.

Establishes a principal office in New York City with satellite offices in areas with significant cooperative or condominium housing concentrations.

Imposes an annual $6 per residential unit fee on cooperative housing corporations and homeowners associations, with all revenue deposited into the office of the cooperative and condominium ombudsman fund.

Creates the office of the cooperative and condominium ombudsman fund in the state comptroller's custody, funded by the residential unit fee and appropriations, to be used solely for staffing and administration of the ombudsman office.