Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the provisions of Article II of Chapter 166 of the Suffolk County Code do not go far enough in terms of requiring the withholding of public assistance payments for the rental of housing that is dangerous, hazardous or detrimental to life or health and do not go far enough in terms of the scope of prerental housing inspections.
This Legislature also finds and determines that tough prerental housing inspections for housing accommodations targeted for use by public assistance recipients is critical to the breakup and reversal of welfare-dumping policies throughout the County of Suffolk which currently threaten the safety and general welfare of Suffolk County residents.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that such rentals are often made "subject to any and all applicable state, local, municipal laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, including all applicable zoning ordinances and regulations."
This Legislature further finds and determines that concerted efforts must be made, either before or after such a rental is placed, to verify whether the underlying structure is in compliance with local zoning and fire codes, so that a town's ability to enforce existing zoning codes and to cite violators is not significantly eroded and impaired.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the failure to adhere strictly to local zoning laws has a particularly adverse public effect in communities in which social services clients are placed in concentrated numbers in violation of town zoning ordinances and fire and building codes because local neighborhoods and communities become burdened with the negative consequences that flow from the deterioration of a community's housing structure and because the viability and integrity of such neighborhoods and the health, safety and general welfare of county residents are threatened.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to strengthen requirements in connection with the withholding of public assistance payments for substandard rental housing and the inspection of such housing by adding a verification search for a certificate of occupancy and rental permit, if applicable, issued by the pertinent municipal jurisdiction to the existing prerental housing inspection requirements.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to any placements made on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the New York State Legislature has recently enacted legislation authorizing fingerprint identification for recipients of public assistance in a limited number of upstate counties, i.e., Rockland and Onondaga County, on a trial basis.
This Legislature also finds and determines that an aggressive program of finger imaging identification of applicants for public assistance at the Suffolk County Department of Social Services should generate enormous cost savings for the County of Suffolk at a time when budgetary shortfalls and high taxes threaten the fiscal, financial and economic viability of the County of Suffolk.
This Legislature further finds and determines that Los Angeles County, California, saved more than $6,000,000 in the six months following its initial implementation of such a program during which period of time 3,021 people refused to be fingerprinted and dropped out of the welfare system, 242 people were denied benefits for multiple applications and 26 people were caught in outright cheating, a savings which becomes compounded in subsequent years because it is a recurring and cumulative reduction in county costs.
This Legislature also determines that, at a time when the county is being forced to tighten its fiscal policies and budgetary belt, it is critical to demonstrate to the public at-large, and the taxpayers in particular, that correspondingly tough measures are being taken to further root out fraud, waste and corruption in the welfare benefit system imposed on municipalities by the State of New York.
This Legislature also finds and determines that Federal District Court Judge Jack Weinstein, in a decision rendered on June 23, 1993, in U.S.v. Rosa De La Cruz and Maria Emilia Vargas, held that "Welfare recipients can be readily fingerprinted by automated photographic methods to prevent the use of false identities to open fraudulent cases, as is apparently now done in Los Angeles. . .Despite the availability of relatively reliable checks on abuse, there appears to have been a reluctance by the state. . .to take firm action to prevent further abuses. . . [and] this court's scarce criminal judicial resources can be used more effectively in other cases — particularly if the responsible governmental agencies take effective legislative and executive action to eliminate the kinds of endemic welfare abuses revealed in this case."
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to establish and implement a program designed to utilize finger imaging identification for recipients of public assistance so as to prevent welfare fraud and abuse.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County of Suffolk, through its Department of Social Services, is required to make public assistance payments under State law for housing accommodations of recipients of public assistance.
This Legislature hereby finds that state and local law permits the withholding of such payments under narrowly targeted circumstances that relate to the condition of such premises.
This Legislature further finds and determines that there may be instances in which such payments are being made to landlords who are in arrears on real property tax payments to the County of Suffolk.
This Legislature also finds and determines that there may be instances in which the county is making payments to vendors providing supplies, materials and/or services to the County of Suffolk who are in arrears on real property tax payments to the County of Suffolk.
This Legislature hereby determines that such payments by the County of Suffolk in such circumstances are contrary to logic, common sense and the interests of the taxpayers of Suffolk County.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to establish a formal county policy regarding payments made by the County of Suffolk in those instances in which the recipient is in arrears on real property tax payments to the County of Suffolk.
Section 2. 
Definitions.
As used in this law, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CONTRACT
Any claim, account or demand against or agreement, other than a collective bargaining agreement, upon sufficient consideration, with the County of Suffolk or any divisions, departments, agencies or entity thereof, express or implied, for the rendering or performance of personal, consulting or professional services; the provision of goods, supplies and materials; or the construction of public works, and shall include extensions, modifications, renewals or amendments.
CONSULTING SERVICES
The expertise, advice, professional services or any other personal services provided by any individual, association, proprietorship, partnership, corporation or joint venture by contract with Suffolk County, including but not limited to design work, planning work, medical, legal, engineering, computer, accounting or educational services.
CONSULTANT
Any individual, association, proprietorship, partnership, corporation or joint venture to be contracted by Suffolk County to provide expertise, advice, professional services or any other personal services, including but not limited to design work, planning work, medical, legal, engineering, computer, accounting or educational services.
VENDOR
Any individual, association, proprietorship, partnership, joint venture or corporation which has a contract with Suffolk County.
Section 5. 
Rules and regulations.
A. 
The Commissioner of the County Department of Social Services is hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to issue and promulgate such rules and regulations as he or she shall deem necessary and appropriate to implement this local law and is hereby directed to coordinate with such county departments and agencies as shall be deemed necessary and appropriate to implement this local law.
B. 
The County Comptroller is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to issue and promulgate such rules and regulations as he or she shall deem necessary and appropriate to implement this local law and is hereby directed to coordinate with such county departments and agencies as shall be deemed necessary and appropriate to implement this local law.
Section 6. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law, regardless of when the arrears first accrued or materialized.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds that "quality of life" code violations, particularly the creation of substandard housing, is an issue of growing concern in Suffolk County as the creation of illegal multifamily housing leads to unplanned growth and a diminished quality of life in Suffolk County communities.
This Legislature further finds and determines that overcrowded conditions, sewer and sanitation problems and a severe strain on school district and municipal services are just a few of the problems created by illegal multifamily housing. It further finds that such illegal housing often fails to comply with important safety and fire codes, thus posing an unacceptable danger to those who inhabit such housing.
This Legislature further finds and determines that the County of Suffolk wishes to offer its aid and assistance to the 10 towns and 31 village governments in Suffolk County that are primarily responsible for addressing this critical problem and are responsible for enforcing zoning and building codes to ensure compliance therewith.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to establish a County policy of offering a monetary incentive to the 10 towns and 31 villages located within the County of Suffolk to increase and enhance zoning and building code enforcement in their jurisdictions, specifically targeted to illegal multifamily housing.
Section 2. 
Adoption of code enforcement incentive.
A. 
Suffolk County hereby adopts a policy that will offer a monetary incentive to the 10 towns and 31 villages in Suffolk County to increase zoning and building code enforcement within their jurisdictions.
B. 
In order to be eligible to receive the monetary incentive authorized by this law, a town or village applying for funding must enact a law, resolution or ordinance which:
(1) 
Creates a rebuttable presumption that a building or dwelling unit zoned for single- or one-family occupancy is occupied by more than one family if any two or more of the following features are found to exist on the premises of that building or dwelling unit by the applicable town or village code enforcement officer:
(a) 
More than one mailbox, mail slot or post office address.
(b) 
More than one doorbell or doorway on the same side of the building or dwelling unit.
(c) 
More than one electric meter.
(d) 
More than one gas meter.
(e) 
More than one connecting line for cable television.
(f) 
Separate entrances for segregated portions of the building or dwelling unit.
(g) 
Partitions or locked internal doors barring access between segregated portions of the building or dwelling unit, including bedrooms, except for rooms of no more than one or two boarders, roomers or lodgers, if permitted by the applicable town or village code.
(h) 
Separate written or oral leases or rental agreements or the payment of rent for portions of a the building or dwelling unit among its owner and residents, except for one or two boarders, roomers or lodgers, if permitted by the applicable town or village code.
(i) 
Two or more kitchens, each of which contain a range or oven and refrigerator and sink;
NOTE: Former Subsection B(2) and (3) were repealed 8-7-2007 by L.L. No. 25-2007, which local law also provided as follows:
1. Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Local Law No. 1-2006 established a County policy, now embodied in Article II of Chapter 166 of the Suffolk County Code, of offering monetary incentives to the towns and villages within the County to increase and enhance zoning and building code enforcement in their jurisdictions, specifically targeted to illegal multifamily housing.
This Legislature hereby also finds and determines that the goals of Local Law No. 1-2006 are better accomplished under a strengthened County policy that gives the towns and villages more flexibility in complying with Article II of Chapter 166 of the Suffolk County Code.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to strengthen the County policy established under Local Law 1-2006, thereby enhancing the building and zoning code enforcement powers by the towns and villages within Suffolk County.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after its effective date.
A. 
Towns and villages applying for the funding shall automatically be eligible to receive their proportionate share of the moneys annually appropriated by the County for this purpose, based on their share of the population relative to the entire population of the County of Suffolk as calculated by the Suffolk County Department of Planning as of the first day of each pertinent calendar year, provided the aforementioned legislation has been approved by the County Department of Law prior to its enactment.
B. 
The towns and villages applying for the funding must certify to the County that the moneys to be appropriated by the County under this program are to be used for zoning and building code enforcement. A municipality's eligibility to participate in the future receipt of County moneys under this program is hereby conditioned upon that municipality's filing an annual accounting with the County Budget Director outlining specifically, with verification, how the prior year's moneys were used for zoning and building code enforcement. Copies of the written accounting shall be filed with the County Budget Director no later than June 30 of each year for his or her review pursuant to § C4-4 of the Suffolk County Charter.
C. 
The 2006 County operating budget shall provide $100,000 and all subsequently adopted County operating budgets shall provide at least $300,000 in a line item appropriation for implementation of this program.
Section 4. 
Applicability.
The incentive program created herein shall be available to the 10 towns and 31 villages of the County of Suffolk on or after January 1, 2006, subject to the availability of appropriations.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that many residents rely on the availability of habitable rental housing accommodations in Suffolk County.
This Legislature determines that the Suffolk County Code currently authorizes the withholding of public assistance payments when there is any violation of law in respect to the building containing the housing accommodations occupied by the person entitled to such assistance which is dangerous, hazardous or detrimental to life or health.
This Legislature hereby further finds that the Code does not sufficiently address and/or stress the specific issue of such housing accommodations being in compliance with local zoning code and/or local building code requirements.
This Legislature also finds and determines that local zoning code and local building code requirements can advance important goals, not only those related to health and safety, but to the overall quality of life in a given community.
This Legislature determines that local zoning code and local building code requirements are crafted and passed by local governments comprised of duly elected representatives acting on behalf of the residents, thus enforcement of these requirements should be respected and a priority.
This Legislature also determines that individuals living in or seeking rental housing accommodations should be protected via strong laws and policies that protect one's health, safety and quality of life.
Therefore, the purpose of this local law is to require local zoning code and local building code compliance of rental housing accommodations if a property owner of such accommodations is to benefit from funding made available through the Suffolk County Department of Social Services.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.