Housing

Authorizes the town of Copake to establish community preservation funds and to impose a real estate transfer tax with revenues to be deposited into the community preservation fund; provides for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof.

This bill would prevent mortgage lenders from penalizing borrowers who don't set high enough rental rates on properties covered by their mortgages. It voids any mortgage clause requiring minimum rents or punishing low rents, applying to all mortgages regardless of when they were created, renewed, or modified. The law directly affects property owners with mortgages who might face fees or default penalties for not meeting arbitrary rent minimums. This policy change ensures lenders cannot enforce such clauses as against public policy.

Prohibits residential landlords from charging tenants a fee for a dishonored rent check in excess of the actual costs or fees incurred by such landlord as a result thereof, provided such dishonored check fee was included in the initial lease.

Requires that the entire amount of a rental deposit or advance be refundable to the tenant upon the tenant's vacating of the premises except for an amount lawfully retained for non-payment of rent or utilities, damage caused by the tenant, or storage costs; requires landlord to provide an itemized statement of damages and to return the balance of the deposit within 14 days; requires that tenant be given the opportunity to inspect the rental premises prior to signing a lease; allows a grantee or assignee of the leased premises to demand that an escrow account be opened.