Governor Cuomo Can Support Community Living By Enacting Visitability Tax Credit Bill!
People want to live in homes, not nursing homes! Very often, basic home modifications make the difference between the ability to live one’s life in the community and being homebound, or worse, sent into an institution.
The Visitability Tax Credit bill, A.2493/S.2424 would provide homeowners with a tax credit of up to $2,750 to renovate their home to make it more accessible, or to go toward the cost of developing a universally visitable home. This bill was sent to the Governor Friday and he has until next Wednesday to decide whether to sign it into law or veto it.
What You Can Do:
Help ensure Governor Cuomo understands the need for the State to off-set the costs of making one’s home accessible by calling him today at 518-474-8390. Press 2 to speak with a person.
You can communicate to him how important accessible housing is in keeping people in their homes and out of nursing homes. You can explain how expensive it is to make modifications and how a tax credit, such as the one created by A.2493/S.2424 would help make it more affordable.
Background: The disability community has long advocated for New York to increase the accessible housing stock across the State by incentivizing the use of “visitability” design standards. This includes basic accessible features, including:
One no-step entrance
An accessible path to the door
hallways and doorways wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair
An accessible bathroom on the first floor
Due to the high cost of home modifications, many people cannot afford to make changes to their homes to make them more accessible, or to move to a more accessible home. Most prefer to remain at home rather than move to nursing facilities or different, more accessible housing as their needs change. However, many are forced out because their homes are no longer safe or practical for them to live in. This tax credit will help to ensure that people with disabilities and older New Yorkers are able to afford these modifications and remain in their homes.