Home Improvement Contractor Registry
A local registration and consumer-protection framework for home improvement contractors: a $50,000 surety bond homeowners can claim against, a cap on upfront deposits, a three-day right to cancel, an independent hearing panel, and a restitution fund paid for by contractor fees — not taxpayers.
Every year, families in Clarkstown invest tens of thousands of dollars — sometimes their life savings — into the homes where they raise their children, care for aging parents, and build their lives. When a contractor walks off the job with the deposit, or disappears behind a new business name after shoddy work, the damage isn't just financial. It's the kitchen unfinished before the holidays. The roof that still leaks after the second check clears. The savings account drained with nothing to show for it.
Clarkstown residents deserve better. Proposed Chapter 135 establishes a local registration, consumer-protection, and enforcement framework designed specifically to protect the people who live and own property in this town.
What the law does for homeowners
What the law does for honest contractors
Why this matters now
Common questions
What would the proposed Home Improvement Contractor Registry do?
A local registration and consumer-protection framework for home improvement contractors: a $50,000 surety bond homeowners can claim against, a cap on upfront deposits, a three-day right to cancel, an independent hearing panel, and a restitution fund paid for by contractor fees — not taxpayers.
Is the Home Improvement Contractor Registry in effect in Clarkstown?
No. It is a draft local law published by the Bondar for Clarkstown campaign for public discussion. To take effect it would have to be introduced, noticed for a public hearing and adopted by the Clarkstown Town Board.
Does the Clarkstown contractor registry replace the Rockland County license?
No. A valid Rockland County home improvement license remains required for every contractor. Chapter 135 adds a local layer of consumer protection on top of what the County already requires.
Who pays for the restitution fund?
Contractors, through registration surcharges. The Clarkstown Home Improvement Restitution Fund is financed by contractor fees, not taxpayer dollars, and compensates homeowners who win a judgment against a bad contractor but cannot collect.
How much can a contractor ask for up front?
No more than one-third of the contract price, and any deposit over $25,000 must be held in a joint-controlled escrow account that cannot be released without the homeowner’s signature at each milestone.
Where can I read the full text of the draft?
The complete draft of the Home Improvement Contractor Registry is published as a PDF on this page, and all four of the campaign's proposed laws are collected on the Proposed Laws page.
How do I comment on this proposal?
Feedback from homeowners, contractors, and community members is welcome. This is your law — if we're going to do it, let's do it right. Use the feedback form and tell us what we got wrong.