467-B - Tax abatement for rent-controlled and rent regulated property occupied by senior citizens or persons with disabilities.
* § 467-b. Tax abatement for rent-controlled and rent regulated property occupied by senior citizens or persons with disabilities. 1. Definitions. As used in this section: a. "Dwelling unit" means that part of a dwelling in which a head of the household resides and which is subject to either the emergency housing rent control law or to the rent and rehabilitation law of the city of New York enacted pursuant to the local emergency housing rent control law, or to the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four; b. "Head of the household" means a person (i) who is sixty-two years of age or older, or (ii) who qualifies as a person with a disability pursuant to subdivision five of this section, and is entitled to the possession or to the use or occupancy of a dwelling unit; c. "Income" means income from all sources after deduction of all income and social security taxes and includes social security and retirement benefits, supplemental security income and additional state payments, public assistance benefits, interest, dividends, net rental income, salary or earnings, and net income from self-employment, but shall not include gifts or inheritances, payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution, as defined in P.L. 103-286, or increases in benefits accorded pursuant to the social security act or a public or private pension paid to any member of the household which increase, in any given year, does not exceed the consumer price index (all items United States city average) for such year which take effect after the date of eligibility of head of the household receiving benefits hereunder whether received by the head of the household or any other member of the household; d. "Income tax year" means a twelve month period for which the head of the household filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year; e. "Increase in maximum rent or legal regulated rent" means any increase in the maximum rent or the legal regulated rent for the dwelling unit in question pursuant to the applicable rent control law or to the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four, respectively, or such classes of increase thereunder as may be specified in a local law, ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to this section, over such base period rent as shall be provided therein or an exemption from the maximum rent or legal regulated rent as specified in paragraph c or d of subdivision three of this section; f. "Members of the household" means the head of the household and any person, other than a bona fide roomer, boarder or subtenant who is not related to the head of the household, permanently residing in the dwelling unit. 2. The governing body of any municipal corporation is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt, after public hearing, in accordance with the provisions of this section, a local law, ordinance or resolution providing for the abatement of taxes of said municipal corporation imposed on real property containing a dwelling unit as defined herein by one of the following amounts: (a) where the head of the household does not receive a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, an amount not in excess of that portion of any increase in maximum rent or legal regulated rent which causes such maximum rent or legal regulated rent to exceed one-third of the combined income of all members of the household; or (b) where the head of the household receives a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, an amount not in excess of that portion of any increase in maximum rent or legal regulated rentwhich is not covered by the maximum allowance for shelter which such person is entitled to receive pursuant to the social services law. 3. Any such local law, ordinance or resolution shall provide that: a. for a dwelling unit where the head of the household is a person sixty-two years of age or older, no tax abatement shall be granted if the combined income of all members of the household for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of making application exceeds four thousand dollars, or such other sum not more than twenty-five thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand five, twenty-six thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand six, twenty-seven thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand seven, twenty-eight thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand eight, and twenty-nine thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand nine, as may be provided by the local law, ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section, provided that when the head of the household retires before the commencement of such income tax year and the date of filing the application, the income for such year may be adjusted by excluding salary or earnings and projecting his or her retirement income over the entire period of such year. b. for a dwelling unit where the head of the household qualifies as a person with a disability pursuant to subdivision five of this section, no tax abatement shall be granted if the combined income for all members of the household for the current income tax year exceeds the maximum income above which such head of the household would not be eligible to receive cash supplemental security income benefits under federal law during such tax year. c. upon issuance of a tax abatement certificate as provided in subdivision four of this section, the amount set forth in said certificate shall be deducted from the legal maximum rent or legal regulated rent chargeable for a dwelling unit of a head of the household. d. notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a head of the household to whom a then current, valid tax abatement certificate has been issued moves his principal residence from one dwelling unit to a subsequent dwelling unit located within the same municipal corporation, the head of the household may apply for a tax abatement certificate relating to the subsequent dwelling unit, and such certificate may provide that the head of the household shall be exempt from paying that portion of the maximum rent or legal regulated rent for the subsequent dwelling unit which is the least of the following: (1) the amount by which the rent for the subsequent dwelling unit exceeds the last rent, as reduced, which the head of the household was required to actually pay in the original dwelling unit; (2) the last amount deducted from the maximum rent or legal regulated rent pursuant to this section in the original dwelling unit; or (3) where the head of the household does not receive a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, the amount by which the maximum rent or legal regulated rent of the subsequent dwelling unit exceeds one-third of the combined income of all members of the household. e. notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a head of the household to whom a then current, valid tax abatement certificate has been issued moves his principal residence from one dwelling unit subject to the provisions of articles II, IV, V or XI of the private housing finance law to a subsequent dwelling unit subject to either the local emergency housing rent control law or to the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four which is located within the same municipal corporation, the head of the household may apply for a tax abatementcertificate relating to the subsequent dwelling unit, and such certificate may provide that the head of the household shall be exempt from paying that portion of the maximum rent or legal regulated rent for the subsequent dwelling unit which is the least of the following: (1) the amount by which the rent for the subsequent dwelling unit exceeds the last rent, as so reduced, which the head of the household was required to actually pay in the original dwelling unit; (2) the most recent amount so deducted from the maximum rent or legal regulated rent in the original dwelling unit; or (3) where the head of the household does not receive a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, the amount by which the maximum rent or legal regulated rent of the subsequent dwelling unit exceeds one-third of the combined income of all members of the household. f. notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a dwelling unit subject to regulation under the New York city rent and rehabilitation law or the rent stabilization law of the city of New York is reclassified by order of the city rent agency subject to the other law, a head of the household who held a valid senior citizen or person with a disability rent increase exemption order at the time of such reclassification may be issued a rent increase exemption order under the appropriate law continuing the exemption he would have been eligible and entitled to, notwithstanding such reclassification of such dwelling unit and the tenant shall be exempt from paying the rent increase to the extent to which he was otherwise eligible and entitled to be exempted at the time of the increase but for the fact of such reclassification of the dwelling unit including exemption from the rent increase granted pursuant to subparagraph (m) of paragraph one of subdivision g of section 26-405 of the administrative code of the city of New York to the extent that it is not predicated upon any improvement or addition in a category as provided for in subparagraph (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) or (i) of such paragraph. (1) A head of the household who is otherwise eligible for exemption at the time of the rent increase and resides in a dwelling unit subject to regulation under the emergency housing rent control law or the rent stabilization law of the city of New York which has been reclassified under the other law, may be issued a rent increase exemption order under the appropriate law exempting the tenant from paying the rent increase to the extent to which he would have been eligible and entitled to be exempted but for the fact of reclassification of the dwelling units including exemption from the rent increase granted pursuant to subparagraph (m) of paragraph one of subdivision g of section 26-405 of the administrative code of the city of New York to the extent that it is not predicated upon any improvement or addition in a category as provided for in subparagraph (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) or (i) of such paragraph. (2) Application for an exemption order shall be made within ninety days from the date of the rent increase and reclassification or within ninety days of the effective date of this paragraph, whichever is later, and the rent increase exemption order shall take effect as of the effective date of the rent increase and reclassification including any retroactive increments pursuant to such rent increase. g. notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, where a head of the household holds a current, valid tax abatement certificate and, after the effective date of this paragraph, there is a permanent decrease in the combined income of all members of the household in an amount which exceeds twenty percent of such income as represented in such head of the household's last approved application for a taxabatement certificate or for renewal thereof, such head of the household may apply for a redetermination of the amount set forth therein. Upon application, such amount shall be redetermined so as to re-establish the ratio of adjusted rent to income which existed at the time of approval of such head of the household's last application for a tax abatement certificate or for renewal thereof; provided, however, that in no event shall the amount of the adjusted rent be redetermined to be (i) in the case of a head of the household who does not receive a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, less than one-third of the combined income of all members of the household; or (ii) in the case of a head of the household who receives a monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, less than the maximum allowance for shelter which such head of the household is entitled to receive pursuant to such law. For purposes of this paragraph, a decrease in the combined income of all members of the household shall not include any decrease in such income resulting from the manner in which income is calculated pursuant to any amendment to paragraph c of subdivision one of this section made on or after April first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven. For purposes of this paragraph, "adjusted rent" shall mean maximum rent or legal regulated rent less the amount set forth in a tax abatement certificate. h. (1) notwithstanding any other provision of law, a head of the household who is otherwise eligible for a senior citizen rent increase exemption order shall be issued an order applicable to a second dwelling unit when such person occupies two contiguous and connected dwelling units, both of which are eligible for a senior citizen rent increase exemption order, as a combined residence and such person has occupied and paid rent for both units for at least two years. Only one head of household shall be issued an exemption order for each eligible contiguous and connected dwelling units pursuant to this paragraph. (2) if the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency determines that there was a material misstatement in an application filed by a head of household for a second senior citizen rent increase exemption order pursuant to this paragraph and that such misstatement provided the basis for the granting of such second exemption order, the rent control agency or administrative agency shall proceed to impose a penalty on the applicant of one thousand dollars in addition to recovering the amount of any prior exemption erroneously granted. For purposes of this paragraph, "contiguous" shall mean adjacent or next to. 4. The head of the household must apply every two years to the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency for a tax abatement certificate on a form prescribed by said agency. A tax abatement certificate setting forth an amount not in excess of the increase in maximum rent or legal regulated rent for the taxable period or such other amount as shall be determined under subdivision three of this section shall be issued by said agency to each head of the household who is found to be eligible under this section on or before the last date prescribed by law for the payment of the taxes or the first installment thereof of any municipal corporation which has granted an abatement of taxes. Copies of such certificate shall be issued to the owner of the real property containing the dwelling unit of the head of the household and to the collecting officer charged with the duty of collecting the taxes of each municipal corporation which has granted the abatement of taxes authorized by this section. 5. Eligibility. a. To qualify as a person with a disability for the purposes of this section, an individual shall submit to the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency proof sufficient to such agency that such individual is currently receiving social securitydisability insurance (SSDI) or supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under the federal social security act or disability pension or disability compensation benefits provided by the United States department of veterans affairs or those previously eligible by virtue of receiving disability benefits under the supplemental security income program or the social security disability program and currently receiving medical assistance benefits based on determination of disability as provided in section three hundred sixty-six of the social services law. b. Eligibility shall be determined as of a date prescribed by the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency pursuant to the local law, ordinance or resolution and such local law, ordinance or resolution may provide for a pro rata refund of taxes paid prior to such eligibility date or a credit therefor against the next succeeding tax periods. 6. The amount set forth in a tax abatement certificate shall be deducted from the total taxes levied by or on behalf of the municipal corporation which has granted such abatement on real property containing the dwelling unit of a head of the household to whom the certificate has been issued. In the event that both a town and a village included therein grant such abatement, such deduction for properties located in the village shall be made first from taxes levied by or on behalf of the village and any excess thereof shall be deducted from town taxes. 7. Upon the vacancy of a dwelling unit for which an abatement certificate has been issued, the owner thereof shall remit a pro rata portion of the tax abatement to the collecting officer of the municipal corporation which granted such abatement and any amount due by reason of such vacancy shall be a lien upon the property on and after the date of such vacancy. 8. Where a tax abatement certificate has been issued to a head of the household as authorized by a local law, ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section and the landlord collects or attempts to collect all or part of the amount covered by such tax abatement certificate, the amount of such abatement shall be deemed a rent overcharge under the applicable rent control or rent regulation law. 9. In a city with a population of one million or more, any such local law, ordinance or resolution may provide that in the event the tax abatement certificate authorizes an amount of deduction in excess of the real estate quarterly installment, then the balance may be applied to any subsequent installment until exhausted, provided that, at the request of the owner, such balance shall be paid to the owner in lieu of being applied to any subsequent installment, except where the owner is in arrears in the payment of real estate taxes on any property. For the purposes of such provision of any such local law, ordinance or resolution, where the owner is a corporation, it shall be deemed to be in arrears when any officer, director or any person holding an interest in more than ten percent of the issued and outstanding stock of such corporation is in arrears in the payment of real estate taxes on any property; where title is held by a nominee, the owner shall be deemed to be in arrears when the person for whose benefit such title is held is in arrears in the payment of real estate taxes on any property. * NB Effective until June 16, 2011 * § 467-b. Tax abatement for rent controlled property occupied by senior citizens or persons with disabilities. 1. Definitions. As used in this section: a. "Dwelling unit" means that part of a dwelling in which a head of the household resides and which is subject to either emergency housing rent control law or to rent and rehabilitation law of the city of NewYork enacted pursuant to the local law enacted pursuant to the local emergency housing rent control law; b. "Head of the household" means a person (i) who is sixty-two years of age or older, or (ii) who qualifies as a person with a disability pursuant to subdivision five of this section, is not a recipient of public assistance pursuant to the social services law and is entitled to the possession or to the use or occupancy of a dwelling unit; c. "Income" means income from all sources after deduction of all income and social security taxes and includes social security and retirement benefits, interests, dividends, net rental income, salary or earnings, and new income from self-employment, but shall not include gifts or inheritances; d. "Income tax year" means a twelve month period for which the head of the household filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year; e. "Increase in maximum rent" means any increase in the maximum rent for the dwelling unit in question pursuant to the applicable rent control law, or such classes of increase thereunder as may be specified in a local law, ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to this section, over such base period rent as shall be provided therein; f. "Members of the household" means the head of the household and any person, other than a bona fide roomer, boarder or subtenant who is not related to the head of the household, permanently residing in the dwelling unit. 2. The governing body of any city, town or village is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt, after public hearing, in accordance with the provisions of this section, a local law, ordinance or resolution providing for the abatement of taxes of said municipal corporation imposed on real property containing a dwelling unit as defined herein by an amount not in excess of that portion of any increase in maximum rent which causes such maximum rent to exceed one-third of the combined income of all members of the household. 3. Any such local law, ordinance or resolution shall provide that: a. for a dwelling unit where the head of the household is a person sixty-two years of age or older, no tax abatement shall be granted if the combined income of all members of the household for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of making application exceeds three thousand dollars, or such other sum not more than five thousand dollars as may be provided by the local law, ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section, provided that when the head of the household retires before the commencement of such year and the date of filing the application, the income for such year may be adjusted by excluding salary or earnings and projecting his retirement income over the entire period of such year. b. for a dwelling unit where the head of the household qualifies as a person with a disability pursuant to subdivision five of this section, no tax abatement shall be granted if the combined income for all members of the household for the current income tax year exceeds the maximum income at which such head of the household would not be eligible to receive cash supplemental security income benefits under federal law during such tax year. c. upon issuance of a tax abatement certificate as provided in subdivision four of this section, the amount of increase in maximum rent set forth in said certificate shall be deducted from the legal maximum rent chargeable for a dwelling unit of a head of the household. 4. The head of the household must apply each year to the appropriate rent control agency for a tax abatement certificate on a form prescribed by said agency. A tax abatement certificate setting forth an amount notin excess of the increase in maximum rent for the taxable period shall be issued by said agency to each head of the household who is found to be eligible under this section on or before the last date prescribed by law for the payment of the taxes or the first installment thereof of any city, town or village which has granted an abatement of taxes. Copies of such certificate shall be issued to the owner of the real property containing the dwelling unit of the head of the household and to the collecting officer charged with the duty of collecting the taxes of each city, town or village which has granted the abatement of taxes authorized by this section. 5. Eligibility. a. To qualify as a person with a disability for the purposes of this section, an individual shall submit to the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency proof sufficient to such agency that such individual is currently receiving social security disability insurance (SSDI) or supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under the federal social security act or disability pension or disability compensation benefits provided by the United States department of veterans affairs or those previously eligible by virtue of receiving disability benefits under the supplemental security income program or the social security disability program and currently receiving medical assistance benefits based on determination of disability as provided in section three hundred sixty-six of the social services law. b. Eligibility shall be determined as of a date prescribed by the appropriate rent control agency pursuant to the local law, ordinance or resolution and such local law, ordinance or resolution may provide for a pro rata refund of taxes paid prior to such eligibility date or a credit therefor against the next succeeding tax periods. 6. The portion of the increase in maximum rent for the taxable period set forth in a tax abatement certificate shall be deducted from the total taxes levied by or on behalf of the city, town or village which has granted such abatement on real property containing the dwelling unit of a head of the household to whom the certificate has been issued. In the event that both a town and a village included therein grant such abatement, such deduction for properties located in the village shall be made first from taxes levied by or on behalf of the village and any excess thereof shall be deducted from town taxes. 7. Upon the vacancy of a dwelling unit for which an abatement certificate has been issued, the owner thereof shall remit a pro rata portion of the tax abatement to the collecting officer of the city, town or village which granted such abatement and any amount due by reason of such vacancy shall be a lien upon the property on and after the date of such vacancy. 8. Where a tax abatement certificate has been issued to a head of the household as authorized by a local law, ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section and the landlord collects or attempts to collect the increase in the maximum rent for a dwelling unit occupied by such head of the household, the amount of such abatement shall be deemed a rent overcharge under the applicable rent control law. * NB Effective June 16, 2011