By Jason Penighetti, Esq., and Carol Rizzo, Esq. of Forchelli Deegan Terrana Together with high rent and exorbitant property values, the real property taxes that fund necessary services in New York State make housing affordability a significant concern for low- and middle-income residents. To ensure a sufficient supply of affordable housing, the state must address the ad valorem levy, whereby taxes are derived from a property’s market value. This article examines the critical interplay between New York’s property tax policies and housing affordability. While some taxing mechanisms hinder the development and availability of affordable housing, adjustments and a few additions to those practices have the potential to promote the affordable sector. Exemptions, Incentives New York’s real property tax system supports a complex framework of entities that rely significantly upon property tax levies to generate revenue and fund their budgets. Property taxes, assessed at the local level, support essential services such as public schools, police departments, libraries, highways, fire districts, open space preservation, out-of-county college tuition and the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority, among others. To encourage the development of affordable housing and ease the burden that real property taxes can impose on developers and owners in the sector, New …
