January 29th 2025.
A recent development in New York City has put the spotlight on landlords in wealthy, predominantly white neighborhoods. A housing organization has accused these landlords of taking advantage of property tax breaks while low-income minority communities struggle to keep up with their tax burden.
The organization, Tax Equity Now New York (TENNY), has taken legal action by filing a motion in Manhattan court on Jan. 23 to push for a landmark ruling that they won against the city last March, according to a report by the NY Post. Their argument is that the city's current property tax assessment ratio is discriminatory towards minorities in low-income neighborhoods. They claim that the inflated property values in these areas result in a disproportionate tax burden for the residents.
Meanwhile, the landlords in wealthier and more fashionable parts of the city continue to pay less in taxes, while the city has yet to reform the property tax assessment ratio. This has caused frustration among a coalition of homeowners, renters, and civil rights advocates who are calling for a fairer system.
Martha Stark, the policy director for TENNY, expressed her disappointment in the city's lack of action, saying, "We are flabbergasted and disappointed that the city has not addressed the issue of uniformity in property taxes, despite the court ruling that deemed the current assessments unlawful."
In their new motion, TENNY's lawyers are arguing that the city's proposed 2025/2026 assessment roll still favors higher property values in lower-income neighborhoods, such as Jamaica, Queens and the South Bronx, compared to similar properties in upscale, predominantly white neighborhoods like Park Slope, Brooklyn, and parts of Manhattan.
According to the motion, this means that areas with historically lower appreciation rates, where minority groups tend to live, are being unfairly overtaxed. This only adds to the city's affordability crisis, which TENNY believes could be alleviated if the property tax system was more equitable.
TENNY's lawyers are urging the court to make a decision by Feb. 20, the deadline for notifying property owners about any increases in their assessments for the year. They argue that the court's ruling was intended to address this issue before new tax bills are sent out.
However, if a decision is not reached by the deadline, TENNY warns that the current system will violate the law and result in improper assessments for hundreds of thousands of homeowners. A representative from City Hall has responded by stating that implementing a new property tax system would have negative impacts on the city's ability to provide essential services.
"The position of TENNY would actually harm the very taxpayers they claim to protect, especially working-class New Yorkers, and could have negative financial consequences that would jeopardize the city's ability to provide crucial services," the representative stated after the new motion was filed.
Despite this, the City Hall representative also reiterated the local government's commitment to finding a legislative solution. "The Adams administration is dedicated to working with our legislative partners to create a fairer and more equitable property tax system that considers the needs of all New Yorkers," they added.
This issue has also raised questions about the future of rent-controlled apartments and their potential to offset rising costs for renters in 2025. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the city will address these concerns and work towards a more just and fair property tax system.
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