The New York State Senate has passed a bill that would authorize public welfare officials to withhold rent from landlords who have not paid their real estate taxes.
In many cases, publicly funded subsidies meant to help families pay their rent are paid directly to landlords through social services programs. In October, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported that two landlords received more than $400,000 in government aid for rent while neglecting to pay over a million dollars in property taxes to the city.
“A landlord who fails to pay property taxes should not be allowed to collect rent payments from taxpayer-funded welfare programs,” Sen. John DeFrancisco, the Syracuse-area Republican who sponsored the bill, said in a press release.
The bill has been referred to the New York State Assembly.