City Council hearing focuses on controversy surrounding NYC's new pied-à-terre tax
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- A New York City Council oversight hearing is set for Tuesday as lawmakers examine the rollout of the city's controversial pied-à-terre tax, which has sparked confusion, homeowner backlash and an ongoing legal challenge.
The hearing comes as critics question how the tax is being implemented and why some homeowners were mistakenly identified as subject to the levy.
The tax, a key part of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's effort to increase taxes on wealthy property owners, targets secondary homes valued at more than $5 million, as well as co-ops and condos worth more than $1 million that are not used as a primary residence.
The hearing, scheduled for 1 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, will be jointly conducted by the Finance Committee and the Committee on Government Operations.
City officials are expected to submit written testimony, but no representatives from the mayor's administration plan to attend in person, a decision that has frustrated several council members. A spokesperson for the administration cited ongoing litigation involving a lawsuit filed by homeowners seeking to delay implementation of the tax.
The controversy intensified after the Department of Finance sent letters in July to roughly 17,000 property owners it identified as having second homes and published more than 900,000 addresses as part of the rollout. Some properties were mistakenly flagged, prompting complaints from full-time residents and leading the city to extend the deadline for filing primary residence exemptions to Sept. 18.
Opponents argue the city is improperly shifting the burden onto homeowners to prove that a property is their primary residence.
"The city issued notice letters that say you may be subject to the tax - you prove to me that you're not. They flipped the statutory burden on its head, and you've got to prove that you live in your own home," said attorney Randy Mastro, who represents homeowners challenging the tax. "That's not the way it's supposed to work. That's not how any tax works, and the Mamdani administration is pursuing an appeal so they can continue to harass thousands of New Yorkers."
Members of the public are expected to testify at Tuesday's hearing, and supporters of the tax are planning a rally outside City Hall ahead of the proceedings.
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