Enacts the "homebuyer renovation property tax exemption act" to grant an exemption of up to fifteen thousand dollars from taxation levied by or on behalf of any county, city, town, village or school district in which such residential property is located for a period of five years from the date of purchase of the property; defines "primary residential property".
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A9710
SPONSOR: Fitzpatrick
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to enacting the
"homebuyer renovation property tax exemption act"
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To exempt homebuyers who complete reconstruction, alterations, or
improvements of $15,000 or more from increases in property tax resulting
from increased assessment value for a period of five years following the
purchase of the home.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Sections 1: Establishes that this act shall be known as the "homebuyer
renovation property tax exemption act."
Section 2: Legislative findings
Section 3: Amends the real property tax law by adding a new section
421-p. This section exempts homebuyers who complete reconstruction,
alteration, or improvements valued at $15,000 or more as part of a writ-
ten contract for the sale of a primary residential property, or who
enter a written contract within one hundred eighty days after closing of
the sale of a primary residence for reconstruction, alteration, or
improvements, from certain property taxes. This exemption will apply
only to the increase in assessed value which is attributable to the
reconstruction, alteration, or improvement. This section clarifies that
the purchase and installation of appliances does not constitute an
improvement. It also establishes that the tax exemption will be discon-
tinued if any portion of a single family primary residential property is
leased or if the primary residential property ceases to be used primari-
ly for residential purposes.
Section 4: Directs the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance to promul-
gate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
act.
Section 5: Provides for an effective date of January 1, 2025.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
It is widely acknowledged that New York State is facing a severe short-
age of housing. At the " same time, many properties in New York State
remain vacant, abandoned, or underutilized. Bringing this additional
housing online would provide additional housing options for New Yorkers
and would be a step towards addressing New York's current housing
crisis.
However, current market conditions make reconstruction, renovations, and
alterations to currently dilapidated or outdated housing increasingly
expensive. Due to inflation, supply chain issues and government poli-
cies, material and labor costs continue to rise, and construction costs
are projected to increase an additional three to six percent by the end
of 2024. These costs can often prevent homebuyers from purchasing prop-
erties which will require major renovation or alteration, leaving these
properties vacant.
This legislation would offset rising costs associated with recon-
struction, renovations, and alterations by providing tax relief to home-
buyers who begin reconstruction, renovations, or alterations valued at
$15,000 or more, either as a part of a written contract for the sale of
a primary residence or through a written contract entered into within
one hundred eighty days after closing of the sale of a primary resi-
dence. This tax relief will incentivize homebuyers to make significant
improvements to the current housing stock and bring currently vacant or
outdated homes back online.
Homebuyers who qualify for this tax exemption will be exempt from
increases in local taxes based on an increase in the property assessment
which is attributable to the reconstruction, alteration, or improvement.
The exemption will last for a period of five years following the
purchase of the home. This provides a tax incentive for homebuyers
making major improvements while also preventing decreases in funding for
local governments and school districts, as the homebuyer will still be
responsible for all taxes based on the assessed value prior to recon-
struction, renovation, or alteration as well as any special ad valorem
levies.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
new Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9710
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FITZPATRICK -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Real Property Taxation
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to enacting the
"homebuyer renovation property tax exemption act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "homebuyer renovation property tax exemption act".
3 § 2. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that much of New
4 York's current housing stock is old and in need of repair, yet often the
5 repairs are beyond the financial capability of many homeowners. This
6 bill would give homeowners who invest in their property needed tax
7 relief for a period of five years to allow them to recoup the invest-
8 ments made in their property and incentivize the revitalization of our
9 existing housing stock. This incentive will bring abandoned and dilapi-
10 dated homes back to life and help expand the housing stock of the
11 future.
12 § 3. The real property tax law is amended by adding a new section
13 421-p to read as follows:
14 § 421-p. Exemption for renovated homes. 1. Primary residential proper-
15 ty purchased after the effective date of this section by one or more
16 persons, who either as part of the written contract for sale of the
17 primary residential property, or who enters into a written contract
18 within one hundred eighty days after closing of the sale of the primary
19 residence for reconstruction, alteration or improvements, the value of
20 which exceeds fifteen thousand dollars, to the primary residential prop-
21 erty, shall be exempt from taxation levied by or on behalf of any coun-
22 ty, city, town, village or school district in which such residential
23 property is located for a period of five years from the date of purchase
24 of the property. Such exemption shall apply solely to the increase in
25 assessed value thereof attributable to such reconstruction, alteration,
26 or improvement. For the purposes of this section, the purchase of an
27 appliance, including, but not limited to, a refrigerator, oven, dish-
28 washer, washer, or dryer, shall not constitute an improvement.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14933-01-4
A. 9710 2
1 2. (a) No portion of a single family primary residential property
2 shall be leased during the period of time when such exemption shall
3 apply to the residence. If any portion of the single family primary
4 residential property is found to be the subject of a lease agreement,
5 the assessor shall discontinue any exemption granted pursuant to this
6 section.
7 (b) In the event that a primary residential property granted an
8 exemption pursuant to this section ceases to be used primarily for resi-
9 dential purposes or title thereto is transferred to other than the heirs
10 or distributees of the owner, the exemption granted pursuant to this
11 section shall be discontinued.
12 (c) Upon determining that an exemption granted pursuant to this
13 section should be discontinued, the assessor shall mail a notice so
14 stating to the owner or owners thereof at the time and in the manner
15 provided by section five hundred ten of this chapter. Such owner or
16 owners shall be entitled to seek administrative and judicial review of
17 such action in the manner provided by law, provided that the burden
18 shall be on such owner or owners to establish eligibility for the
19 exemption.
20 3. Such exemption shall be granted only upon application by the owner
21 of such residential property on a form prescribed by the commissioner.
22 The application shall be filed with the assessor of the city, town,
23 village or county having the power to assess property for taxation on or
24 before the appropriate taxable status date of such city, town, village
25 and county.
26 4. If satisfied that the applicant is entitled to an exemption pursu-
27 ant to this section, the assessor shall approve the application and such
28 primary residential property shall thereafter be exempt from taxation as
29 provided in this section commencing with the assessment roll prepared on
30 the basis of the taxable status date referred to in subdivision one of
31 this section. The assessed value of any exemption granted pursuant to
32 this section shall be entered by the assessor on the assessment roll
33 with the taxable property, with the amount of the exemption shown in a
34 separate column.
35 5. For purposes of this section, "primary residential property" means
36 any one or two family house, townhouse or condominium located in this
37 state which is owner occupied by such homebuyer.
38 § 4. The commissioner of taxation and finance shall promulgate any
39 rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
40 § 5. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.