Res. No. 410-A

Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign S. 4748 and A. 5565A, legislation increasing the income threshold for the disabled homeowners’ exemption program.

By Council Members Williams, Rosenthal, Arroyo, Deutsch, Dickens, Eugene, Gentile, Gibson, Johnson, Koo, Levine, Koslowitz, Cohen, Wills, Barron, Kallos, Lander and Van Bramer

                     Whereas, New York State law authorizes the City of New York to provide homeowners with disabilities property tax exemption benefits that help them remain in affordable housing if their income is limited because of their disability; and 

                     Whereas, Under the disabled homeowners’ exemption (DHE) program, certain disabled owners of one, two, and three family homes, condominiums, or cooperative apartments may be eligible for a reduction on the assessed value of their home of between five and fifty percent; and

                     Whereas, In order to qualify for DHE, a property must be owned by at least one person with a physical or mental disability, or be owned by spouses, registered domestic partners, or siblings, at least one of whom has a disability; and

                     Whereas, In addition, the DHE program mandates that the income of all owners and their spouse or domestic partner cannot exceed $37,399; and

                     Whereas, Property owners are only eligible for the largest benefit under the DHE program, a fifty percent property tax exemption, if their income does not exceed $29,000; and

                     Whereas, While the State authorized local governments to expand the eligibility requirements of the senior citizen rent increase exemption (SCRIE) program in its 2014-2015 Executive Budget, it has not provided for adjustments to the income requirements for the DHE program since 2006, when the maximum income level for a fifty percent exemption was raised from $24,000 to $29,000 over a three-year period; and

                     Whereas, Even minor increases in income, such as cost-of-living adjustments to entitlement programs such as Social Security and disability assistance, can cause homeowners with disabilities to lose the maximum DHE benefit; and

                     Whereas, Those enrolled in DHE are no less deserving of regular adjustments to the program’s income requirements than those receiving SCRIE benefits; and

                     Whereas, in February 2015, New York State Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh introduced A. 5565A, and in April 2015, New York State Senator Diane Savino introduced S. 4748, legislation that would amend the provision related for the SCHE income threshold increases; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign S. 4748 and A. 5565A, legislation increasing the income threshold for the disabled homeowners’ exemption program.

KET/ KGW 5/15/15

LS 1924/2014