New York officials credit a first-quarter surge in residential unit permits in the first quarter to a property tax-break program for developers.
Along with a strong economy, the Affordable New York initiative helped triple New York City’s residential permits compared with the same period in 2016. The permits account for 6,343 units, which is the largest number since 2007.
The tax break was included in April's state budget, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in January that the benefits would be retroactive to the beginning of 2017. The Affordable New York initiative is the successor to the 421-a tax credit program.
The new initiative applies to certain areas of the city, and sets minimum wage levels for qualifying projects. It offers tax breaks to developers who build projects of 300 units or more in certain areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
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