STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5549
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 24, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to prohibiting
exemptions for owners of vacant or unoccupied storefront properties
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The real property tax law is amended by adding a new
2 section 498 to read as follows:
3 § 498. Prohibition on eligibility of exemptions for owners of vacant
4 or unoccupied storefront properties. 1. Notwithstanding any other
5 provision of law, any owner of a commercial storefront property shall
6 not be eligible for an exemption under this chapter on such property if
7 the property has been vacant or unoccupied for at least two years.
8 2. For purposes of this section:
9 (a) "commercial storefront property" shall mean any non-residential
10 property that may be used primarily for the buying, selling or otherwise
11 providing of goods or services, which is located on the ground floor or
12 street level of a commercial building;
13 (b) "vacant" shall mean minimal or no inanimate objects on such prop-
14 erty; and
15 (c) "unoccupied" shall mean a lack of habitual presence of individuals
16 primarily engaged in buying, selling or otherwise providing goods or
17 services.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to assess-
19 ment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or
20 after such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08493-01-5
