In My District: Manhattan

Christopher Marte

District 1, Manhattan

Battery Park City, Civic Center, Chinatown, Financial District, Little Italy, Lower East Side, Noho, Soho, South Street Seaport, South Village, TriBeCa and Washington Square

While the neighborhoods downtown are majority renter-occupied, co-op and condos have been an essential mechanism in District 1 for families to invest in their communities, build wealth and remain in an ever-changing and increasingly unaffordable housing market. The organizing power of co-op and condo boards is remarkable and inspiring, and I am happy to support any housing model that provides stability, economic mobility and a sense of community for residents and our neighborhoods at large. We know that prices are going up for all residents, whether that comes in the form of rent, utilities, mortgage payments, building maintenance or property taxes. With new initiatives for resilient and sustainable retrofitting coming into play, navigating the landscape of co-op and condo occupancy can be daunting. 

I am committed to advocating for these housing models alongside all residents in the district, pushing for greater assistance when it comes to maintenance costs, providing realistic pathways for more sustainable building energy systems and ensuring that affordable ownership programs continue to thrive downtown. Affordability takes many different forms, and the opportunity to build wealth in a home and in a closely knit community should be a priority of the city and must be accessible to all New Yorkers.

Carlina Rivera

District 2, Manhattan

East Village, Gramercy Park, Kips Bay, Lower East Side, Murray Hill and Rose Hill

In District 2, the majority of our homeowners reside in co-ops and condominiums. As their representative on the City Council, it is of the utmost importance to me that the city keeps homeowners’ needs and potential limitations at the forefront of the implementation of all new policies. I look forward to continued opportunities to work closely with property owners as they navigate new energy and carbon-emission requirements while balancing the additional financial strain these changes require, and I welcome their input and recommendations on legislative matters that impact property owners citywide.

Keith Powers

District 4, Manhattan

Upper East Side, Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, Central Park South, Midtown East, Times Square, Koreatown, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, Waterside Plaza, Tudor City, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill and Sutton Place

Co-op and condominiums are a quintessential part of Manhattan’s East Side. These reliable, long-lasting home ownership opportunities have given residents the ability to build thriving neighborhoods filled with strong schools, booming local businesses and more. Those who choose to join a co-op or condo board are also dedicated to upholding their neighbors’ needs and interests, and many of these volunteers serve as strong voices regarding important civic and community matters.

One of the issues that will need to be addressed this term is property tax reform. The New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform is currently undertaking a comprehensive re-evaluation of the property tax classifications used across the city for rentals, co-ops and condos in order to create a more equitable property valuation system and to provide relief for low-income and senior homeowners. With a new mayoral administration and the recent rise in gun violence, co-op and condo boards will be pivotal in advocating for community needs and safer streets in our neighborhoods. Their continued advocacy regarding these issues has been critical, and I will continue supporting them moving forward.

Julie Menin

District 5, Manhattan

Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, Roosevelt Island, Midtown East, Sutton Place and East Harlem

Our city stands at a critical juncture for co-op and condo owners. As I begin my term representing a district with thousands of co-op and condo residents, I look forward to advocating for their interests and assisting them in navigating new city regulations and the ongoing crisis of affordability within New York City. 

I do want to offer some brief comments on a major issue for co-op and condo owners: New York State implementing property tax reform. Regarding property taxes, our system needs major reform. Every year, co-op and condo owners face uncertainty as they await their tax assessments. Co-op and condo boards have no way to plan their fiscal budgets as property tax increases could occur without notice. In 2011 initial assessments rose by 100% to 150% for certain co-ops and condos. That is unacceptable. The current property tax system favors single-family homeowners over co-ops and condos. I support working with Albany to cap annual property tax increases for large condos and co-ops similarly to how we do for single-family homes and smaller co-ops and condos. The current system does not create a fair distribution of the tax burden. I look forward to working together to create a safer, stronger and more equitable city.

Gale Brewer

District 6, Manhattan

Central Park, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side and Clinton

District 6 is a growing and vibrant community which encompasses most of the Upper West Side. Over 197,000 people call the district home, and there are about 109,000 units of housing, including 26,814 co-op units in 419 co-op buildings, and just over 10,000 neighbors live in New York City Housing Authority residences. Rising housing costs are making neighborhoods in our district inaccessible for families and working- and middle-class households. As the housing market heats up following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must be intent on building and preserving housing available to a diverse set of incomes and people.

Condos and co-ops have been a growing percentage of housing options over the last 40 years, and the next 40 years will bring seismic changes — from sustainability issues to technology. Financial challenges will be omnipresent. Property taxes disproportionately burden co-op and condo owners. And the city’s relatively new sustainability rules create a new category of compliance costs. As chair of the City Council’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I pledge to monitor the effectiveness of the city’s green laws so that buildings truly dial back their footprint and help mitigate the climate crisis. Our co-ops and condos have prospered with the support of the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums. They are anchors of the community, and each building contributes to the dynamism of the Upper West Side.

Shaun Abreu

District 7, Manhattan

Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights and Hamilton Heights

While condos and co-ops are a critical part of our housing stock, too few people living in Upper Manhattan have a viable path to homeownership. But there are a few ways we can make condos and co-ops available to more New Yorkers. For starters, we need to help keep our communities affordable by protecting existing property tax abatements and exemptions for HDFC shareholders and condo unit-owners. We also need to expand eligibility for the Senior Citizens Homeowners’ Exemption, which will help thousands of older homeowners living under limited budgets. And we need to help co-ops and condos working to meet our city’s ambitious and important climate goals. New requirements placed on homeowners should be easy to understand and implement, and they shouldn’t break the bank; it should be more affordable to make necessary upgrades and additions such as solar panels. Partnerships between community organizations, condos and co-ops can help us reach our goals. By meeting these challenges head-on, we can make our neighborhoods more affordable and environmentally friendly.