Pawling, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 55 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 55-6
Occupant selection standards
Operative Text
When affordable housing is sold or rented, the following standards shall be used to determine occupancy: A. A household must be income-eligible in accordance with the requirements of §§ 55-4B and 55-5B above. B. Preference categories. Among income-eligible households, preference to purchase or rent affordable housing shall be given to those households where a member of the household to occupy a unit of affordable housing shall contain an individual in one of the four tiers of categories below: (1) Tier 1. (a) Tier 1 shall include: [1] Town of Pawling municipal employees. [2] Town of Pawling school district employees in school buildings located within the Town of Pawling. [3] Volunteer Fire Company and Ambulance Corps members living in and/or serving Pawling. (b) To be eligible as a Tier 1 household, the member of the household who qualifies under this section must have held a position in one of the above for a period of not less than two years. (2) Tier 2. (a) Tier 2 shall include: [1] Households whose head of household or spouse is 62 years of age or older and is a resident of Pawling. [2] Households whose head of household or spouse is 30 years of age or younger and is a resident of Pawling. [3] Veterans of the United States Armed Forces residing in Pawling. [4] Other persons employed in Pawling. (b) To be eligible as a Tier 2 household, the member of the household who qualifies under this section must have been a resident of the Town of Pawling for a period of not less than two years and/or employed in the Town of Pawling for a period of not less than two years. (c) If and only if there are no income-eligible households in Tier 1 and Tier 2, or where the income-eligible households in Tier 1 and Tier 2 are exhausted, the Affordable Housing Board shall hold a lottery to select a household from Tier 3 below. (3) Tier 3. Any other Town of Pawling resident or employee within the Town of Pawling meeting income eligibility requirements. (4) Tier 4. If and only if there are no income-eligible households in any of the above tiers, then the Affordable Housing Board shall select, by lottery, any other resident of the town's housing region who is in search of housing and who meets the income eligibility requirements of this chapter.
Section 55-6 of Pawling's Code of Ordinances establishes a tiered preference system for determining who may purchase or rent affordable housing units in the town. All applicants must first meet income-eligibility requirements set out in §§ 55-4B and 55-5B, and then are ranked across four tiers based on factors such as local employment, residency, age, veteran status, and community service. Higher-tier households are given priority, and lower tiers are only considered when no eligible applicants remain in the tiers above, with lotteries used at the Tier 3 and Tier 4 stages.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of affordable housing subject to § 55-6 generally maintain a documented applicant screening process that verifies income eligibility before applying the four-tier preference hierarchy. Compliant operators keep records confirming that Tier 1 and Tier 2 applicants have met the two-year residency or employment requirements, and that lower tiers were only reached after higher tiers were exhausted. When a lottery is required under Tier 3 or Tier 4, operators typically coordinate with the Affordable Housing Board to conduct and document that process.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 55-6, income-eligible households in Pawling have a right to be evaluated according to the tiered preference system before an affordable unit is filled, meaning a household's tier standing can directly affect its access to available units. Households that believe they qualify for a higher preference tier — for example, as municipal employees, long-term residents, or veterans — can document their eligibility and present it during the application process. Those who feel the preference standards were not properly applied may consider contacting the Pawling Affordable Housing Board or a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation