By: David McCoy

A special interest group representing condo and co-op owners in New York City is protesting new environmental laws that will spell economic doom for the middle class.

Homeowners for a Stronger New York is battling the terms of the city’s Climate Mobilization Emissions Law of 2019 — Local Law 97 — by next year while backing state legislation introduced by state assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Queens) and Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) to require the city to provide property tax breaks to help alleviate the costs.

The exclusive New York Post report states that while supporting the goal of the Climate Change law, co-ops and condo owners said they need assistance to meet the new cleaner energy standards in what they called the “largest unfunded mandate in New York City history.”

The law is more stringent than Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ban on gas stoves, which only applies to new construction.

The city law covers existing buildings, which account for two-thirds or most of the carbon emissions in the city.

Carl Campanile writes that the group is launching a six-figure digital and TV ad and mailing campaign urging elected officials that New York can have “affordability and sustainability” — targeting 18 Assembly districts in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx with a concentration of co-ops and condos likely to face the steepest fines.

One an important ally that the group has gained is Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who backs Local Law 97 but agrees middle- and working-class co-op and condo owners need tax relief in order to comply with the law.

“Co-ops and condos have a legitimate gripe. It’s very important that we don’t want to exacerbate the affordable housing crisis,” Richard told The New York Post on Sunday.

“Something needs to be done to relieve the pressure on these middle class homeowners. The costs of any fines will be passed on to the shareholders. We don’t want to see mortgage foreclosures.”

Richards said he’s had preliminary discussions with Mayor Eric Adams’ administration about providing tax relief to help co-ops and condos adhere to the law.

The law sets limits on the greenhouse gas emissions of buildings starting in 2024 to help New York City reach the goal of a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by the year 2030 and 80 percent reduction in citywide emissions by calendar year 2050.

It requires buildings with more than 25,000 square feet to replace their old heating oil and natural gas boilers and switch to electric heat so as to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.

One study conducted for the Real Estate Board of New York concluded 20% or more of the buildings of more than 25,000 square feet will not be in compliance next year– many of them small and mid-sized co-ops and condos that house teachers, nurses, civil servants and senior citizens unable to absorb the cost.

“Hardworking homeowners are becoming more and more aware of the challenges of meeting the City’s sustainability mandates,” says Geoff Mazel, board member and an attorney for Homeowners for a Stronger New York, representing cooperative boards.

“They don’t go far enough, they should be working to rescind these extremist laws, but this at least is a starting point, the expenses from the buildings forced to conform to these laws, will be passed down directly to shareholders and renters, a co-op owner told TJV.