Councilwoman Susan Zhuang, representing District 43 in Southern Brooklyn, introduced a resolution that would fully exempt qualifiers of the Senior Citizen Homeowner’s Exemption from real property taxes.
The resolution is designed to help older adults stay in their homes, according to a press release from Zhuang's office.
Currently, homeowners who receive the maximum SCHE benefit in New York City are still responsible for paying 50 % of their real property taxes. However, many rely on fixed incomes that are not rising at the same pace as property tax costs.
In a report from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli last year, he said that if relief to older adults does not match the growing older adult population, many may be at risk of being priced out of their homes.
About 250,000 New Yorkers over the age of 65 were living below the poverty line in 2023, nearly 60 % of which had no retirement income at all, according to NYC Future.
“State law already authorizes full exemptions from real property taxation for certain property owners, including seriously disabled veterans,” said Zhuang. “Older adults should receive a similar benefit.”
Zhuang, a member of the City Council since 2023, is the chair of the Committee on Aging and has long advocated for issues of housing and senior services.
“Our older neighbors built this city,” Zhuang wrote on Instagram. “They should be able to stay in it.”
