Creation of an office of the homeowner advocate within the department of housing preservation and development.

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the creation of an office of the homeowner advocate within the department of housing preservation and development

This bill would create the Office of the Homeowner Advocate (“OHA”) within the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. OHA would provide support to homeowners, defined in the bill as a person who utilizes a building as a primary residence by being a shareholder in a cooperative corporation, the owner of a residential condominium unit, or the owner of such building containing a residence within the city, provided such building has between one and four dwelling units. OHA, with the assistance of any relevant third-party organization, would be responsible for providing services for homeowners, including acting as a liaison between homeowners and City, State, and Federal agencies, providing referrals to homeowners, and holding trainings for homeowners. OHA would also be required to report annually on homeowner inquiries received, actions taken to address these inquiries, and make recommendations for relevant services that are not currently available.