§ 21-205.1 Plans to support aging in place.
AC § 21-205.1
a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: Aging in place. The term “aging in place” means when older adults remain in their existing homes or communities as they age, as an alternative to moving into an assisted-living facility, nursing home, or other institutional care facility. Coordinating agencies. The term “coordinating agencies” means the department of buildings, the department of housing preservation and development, the department of transportation, and any other agency designated by the mayor. Naturally occurring retirement community. The term “naturally occurring retirement community” has the same meaning as set forth in section 209 of the elder law. Neighborhood naturally occurring retirement community. The term “neighborhood naturally occurring retirement community” has the same meaning as set forth in section 209 of the elder law. Older adult. The term “older adult” means a person 60 years of age or older. b. Ten-year plan. No later than 2 years after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner, in consultation with coordinating agencies, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a 10-year plan regarding older adults aging in place. Such plan shall focus on assisting older adults with aging in place throughout the city, considering the department’s programs and services, including in naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities, and shall include, but need not be limited to: 1. An estimation of the need for improvements and investments to enhance existing healthcare facilities, social services, access to transportation, and other supportive services that help older adults with aging in place throughout the city, as well as specific recommendations for any such improvements and investments in each borough; 2. An estimation of the need in each community district for accessibility improvements that facilitate the provision of services and allow for aging in place, including the installation in publicly owned spaces of lighting, railings, grab bars, ramps, elevators, escalators, curb cuts, and enhancements such as the widening of doorways and hallways, and other accessibility features, as well as recommendations for best practices to improve accessibility in privately owned spaces; 3. Supportive services and accessibility improvement projects the department and coordinating agencies plan to initiate and complete in the 10-year period following submission of the plan, disaggregated by borough, community district, and address; 4. Resources that the department and coordinating agencies determine will be needed for the purpose of implementing and maintaining any such supportive services and accessibility improvement projects; and 5. For each such supportive service and accessibility improvement project, (i) an estimate of how many older adults would be served, and (ii) a list of the boroughs, community districts, and neighborhoods that would be served. c. Study regarding naturally occurring retirement communities. Over a 3-year period beginning on the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner shall conduct a study on naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities in the city. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to: 1. Information on the existing state of naturally occurring retirement communities, including their locations, supportive services provided at each such location, and contact information for buildings and service providers; 2. Identifications of potential naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities as both such communities are defined in section 209 of the elder law, not currently designated or otherwise recognized by the New York state office for the aging or the department, accompanied by explanations of how and why each such potential community was identified; 3. In consultation with relevant council members and community stakeholders, information on the existing capacity of community-based organizations to support each such potential community; 4. An assessment of the identification, designation and funding processes for naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities, including any recommendations for improving such processes; 5. A summary of the needs assessments and challenges expressed by current naturally occurring retirement community providers, including any identified capital needs within such communities; 6. Data on the demographic trends, health outcomes, and social isolation among older adults in such communities; and 7. In consultation with the department of city planning, the department of health and mental hygiene, the department of transportation, and any other agency deemed necessary, an evaluation of the necessary improvements and investments required to enhance neighborhood infrastructure, healthcare facilities, social services, transportation, and other critical services to support older adults aging in place within such communities. d. Plan regarding naturally occurring retirement communities. Based on the findings of the study conducted pursuant to subdivision c of this section, the commissioner shall, within 2 years of completing such study, develop and implement a plan to support naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities. The plan shall include, but need not be limited to: 1. Recommendations to the New York state office for the aging to designate any housing developments, buildings, or areas identified in the study conducted pursuant to subdivision c of this section as naturally occurring retirement communities or neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities, as appropriate; 2. An estimate of the resources needed to establish and maintain supportive service programs within such potential communities, disaggregated by each such potential community; 3. Training and onboarding for community-based organizations to expand their capacity to support older adults in such potential communities; 4. Recommendations for infrastructure improvements for such potential communities to be shared with the cabinet for older New Yorkers as established by section 2405 of the New York city charter; 5. Strategies to improve the identification of naturally occurring retirement communities and neighborhood naturally occurring retirement communities throughout the city, taking into consideration communities that lack appropriate or relevant service providers; and 6. Subject to appropriation, a program to provide grant funding and other resources, including start-up grants, capacity-building support, and operational funding to support the operations of community-based organizations to provide services within identified naturally occurring retirement communities. e. The commissioner shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department’s website, the findings of the study conducted pursuant to subdivision c of this section and the plan developed pursuant to subdivision d of this section. f. Progress reports. Two years after publication of the plans developed pursuant to subdivisions b and d of this section, and every 2 years thereafter until the completion of each such plan, or until January 30, 2037, the commissioner shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website progress reports detailing the status of the implementation of projects and recommendations included in each such plan. (L.L. 2025/001, 1/4/2025, eff. 1/4/2025; L.L. 2025/002, 1/4/2025, eff. 1/4/2025)
