New York
DOH must license an adult home (room, board, housekeeping, personal care and supervision), enriched housing program, or residence for adults serving five or more unrelated adults. Family-type homes for adults serve four or fewer unrelated adults in the operator's own home; OCFS certifies them on local social services district recommendation. Adult homes and enriched housing can add Assisted Living Residence / Special Needs ALR certification, and SSI pays congregate-care rates with a protected personal needs allowance.
License categories
Adult homesEnriched housing programsResidences for adultsFamily-type homes for adultsAssisted living residences
Key laws
Social Services Law ยง 461 et seq.
Adult care facilities: standards and supervision — official text
18 NYCRR Part 487
Standards for Adult Homes — official text
18 NYCRR Part 489
Adult Care Facilities Standards for Family-Type Homes (OCFS) — official text
10 NYCRR Part 1001
Assisted Living Residences
Key requirements
- Adult home administrators must be 21 or older, provide three letters of recommendation, and meet education/experience minimums by bed size (e.g., for 24 or fewer beds: high school diploma plus 3 years of related experience, 1 of them supervisory). They also need 60 hours of continuing education every two years (18 NYCRR 487.9(c)).
- Minimum supervision staff on duty: 1 for 1-40 residents, 2 for 41-80, 3 for 81-150, 4 for 151-200 (18 NYCRR 487.9(f)(6)).
- Before hiring 'custodians', operators must check the Justice Center Staff Exclusion List. Staff orientation must cover reportable incidents and the Justice Center code of conduct (18 NYCRR 487.9(a)).
- Family-type homes: at most four residents who need care (plus up to two approved boarders); local districts inspect them every year (OCFS).
- 2026 SSI personal needs allowances: $191 (Congregate Care Level 1, family care), $219 (Level 2, residential care), $262 (Level 3, enhanced residential care) (OTDA).
Sources
- https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/adult_care/intro.htm
- https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/adult_care/
- https://regs.health.ny.gov/volume-b-1-title-18/content/part-487-standards-adult-homes
- https://regs.health.ny.gov/volume-b-1-title-18/content/section-4879-personnel
- https://regs.health.ny.gov/content/part-489-adult-care-facilities-standards-family-type-homes-ocfs
- https://regs.health.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/emergency_regulations/Update%20Standards%20for%20Adult%20Homes%20and%20Standards%20for%20Enriched%20Housing%20Programs.pdf
- https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/adult-svcs/ftha/
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/461