NYC mayor promotes new luxury second-home tax amid social media criticism

Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his X account to announce that property owners of second homes in New York City valued at more than $5 million will soon receive notification letters about a new pied-à-terre tax introduced by Governor Kathy Hochul. He said the tax is intended to help fund city services such as parks, libraries and schools, adding that it reflects a principle of everyone paying their fair share.

The proposal, unveiled by the mayor and the governor in April, would impose an annual surcharge on luxury secondary residences and is projected to raise about $500 million annually. Mamdani has indicated that the revenue would be directed toward programs including free childcare, street cleaning and public safety.

The announcement prompted a wave of criticism on social media, with several Republican officials and commentators describing the tax as a punitive measure that could drive affluent New Yorkers out of the city. They argued that the policy might reduce occupancy in high-rise buildings and affect service-industry jobs linked to those properties.

The mayor's office did not respond to a request for comment.