Relates to assessment exemptions for living quarters for certain senior relatives

2 Co-sponsors

• Simcha Felder
• Catharine Young

Title of bill

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to assessment exemptions for living quarters for a parent or grandparent

Purpose

The purpose of this bill is provide greater protection to the elderly and achieve savings in State expenditures for the elderly by expanding the scope of the property tax exemption for house alterations made for the purpose of housing a senior or person with a disability.

Summary of provisions

Section one of this bill amends subdivisions one and three of section 469 of the Real Property Tax Law to provide local governments with the option to shield real property owners who make changes to their homes so that they can house seniors or individuals with disabilities who are related to the property owner from an increase in the assessed value of their home due to these changes.

Section two of this bill adds a new subdivision 5-a to Real Property Tax Law. This new subdivision defines the term "eligible person" to mean a person who is at least 62 years of age or disabled that is within three degrees of consanguinity or affinity with the property owner.

Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take effect immediately.

Existing law

The exemption provided in subdivisions one and three of section 469 of the Real Property Tax Law is only available where the elderly individual for whom accommodation is made is a parent or grandparent of the homeowner claiming the exemption.

Justification

This legislation expands the current Real Property Tax Law provisions that provide local governments with the option to allow owners of residential property that is their principal place of residence to make changes in order to house a senior citizen or a person with a disability without experiencing an increase in the property's assessed value. Current law limits this exemption to alterations made to house a parent or grandparent. This bill would expand the class of eligible persons to include certain relatives who are at least 62 years of age and persons with disabilities. Expanding this exemption to great grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as related persons with disabilities, allows these people to reside at home saving significant costs that would otherwise be passed on to taxpayers if these individuals had to move into State subsidized facilities.

Legislative history

2015: S.1458 - Passed the Senate 2014: S.2169 - Passed the Senate 2013: S.2169 - Passed the Senate 2012: S.638 - Passed the Senate 2011: S.638 - Passed the Senate 2010: S.2746 - 3rd Reading Calendar 2009: S.2746 - Referred to Aging 2008: S.6918 - Referred to Local Government

Fiscal implications

None to the State

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.