Housing

This bill increases the occupancy tax in St. Lawrence County from three percent to five percent. It directly affects guests staying at hotels, motels, apartment hotels, and boarding houses within the county by raising the fee charged on their room rentals. The law allows the county to collect this additional tax on the per diem rental rate for each room, regardless of whether the stay is daily or longer. The change takes effect immediately upon passage.

This bill requires new or significantly expanding hyperscale data centers (over 10,000 sq ft/5+ MW) to fund residential energy upgrades that offset their electricity demand. It directs these funds toward installing cold-climate heat pumps, rooftop solar, and battery storage in New York homes with outdated systems, prioritizing low-income and disadvantaged communities. NYSERDA will administer the program, ensuring projects align with state climate goals and provide free installations. The funds flow into a dedicated "Clean Home Energy Offset Fund" managed by NYSERDA, with data center operators required to submit annual compliance reports.