Among the provisions of the newly extended, but altered, 421-a tax abatement is one banning the controversial practice of poor doors, where developers build a separate entrance for the inhabitants of a building's affordable units. Poor doors will no longer be allowed for buildings receiving the tax break, the Post reports, nor will the developers be allowed to segregate those tenants into their own section of the building. The newly passed rent-regulation bill also includes language about common areas, saying, "Affordable units shall share the same common entrances and common areas as market rate units."
Although Albany went along with Mayor de Blasio on the poor doors, they balked when it came to the "mansion tax," a surcharge starting at 1% on home sales over $1.75 million. "421-a is substantially as we originally proposed it - minus the mansion tax, which I think would have made it better," the mayor told reporters on Sunday. The mansion tax would have generated an estimated $2 billion for his affordable housing plan.
· 'Poor doors' are no more thanks to rent-regulation bill [NYP]
· Mayor de Blasio disappointed Albany lawmakers passed on 'mansion tax' [NYDN]
· 421-a coverage [Curbed]
· Poor Doors coverage [Curbed]
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