A stark divide persists in New York’s property tax system, where an outdated assessment method continues burdening residents in areas like Jamaica, Queens and the South Bronx with higher taxes while offering breaks to property owners in affluent neighborhoods.
Tax Equity Now New York (TENNY) recently filed a court motion challenging the city’s failure to implement reforms ordered by a judge last March. The motion aims to address systematic inequities that force homeowners in predominantly minority communities to pay disproportionately high property taxes compared to residents in wealthier areas like Park Slope and parts of Manhattan.
Impact hits hardest in working communities
The current assessment system artificially inflates property values in lower-income neighborhoods for tax purposes, reports Black Enterprise, creating an unsustainable burden for longtime residents trying to maintain homeownership. This practice undermines citywide efforts to preserve affordable housing and stabilize communities facing rapid demographic shifts.
When property taxes consume an oversized portion of household income, it becomes increasingly difficult for residents to invest in home maintenance, build generational wealth or simply keep up with rising costs. The ripple effects extend to renters as landlords pass increased tax expenses through to monthly payments.
Reform deadline looms as resistance continues
TENNY’s legal team has emphasized the urgency of resolving these issues before Feb. 20, the statutory deadline for notifying property owners about assessment changes. Without court intervention, hundreds of thousands of homeowners face another year of legally questionable tax bills based on the discriminatory assessment formula.
City Hall officials defend their slow response, suggesting that overhauling the property tax structure could threaten funding for essential services. However, this stance overlooks how the current system’s inequities already compromise service delivery in overtaxed communities.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration claims it remains committed to working with legislators on comprehensive reform. Yet concrete action remains elusive nearly a year after the court ruling declared the assessment practices unlawful.
Breaking the cycle requires decisive action
The ongoing resistance to reform perpetuates a system that extracts wealth from communities already facing economic headwinds. While officials emphasize technical challenges, each delay compounds decades of discriminatory tax policy.
Real reform requires political will to confront entrenched interests benefiting from the status quo. The court battle represents a crucial test of the city’s commitment to housing justice and economic fairness.
As February’s deadline approaches, the outcome will signal whether New York is ready to address systematic inequities in its property tax system or content to maintain practices that deepen the affordability crisis in historically overlooked neighborhoods.
The stakes extend beyond individual tax bills to fundamental questions of who can afford to maintain homes and build community wealth in an ever-increasingly expensive city. Without meaningful changes to assessment methods, the property tax system will continue undermining the goals of housing stability and equitable development.
