New York City Council to Vote on Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans in Honor of Veterans Day 2026

Additional bills will establish a permanent LGBTQ+ liaison within Department of Veterans' Services, require HPD to produce annual report on veteran access to Mitchell-Lama public housing

Council set to approve measures tomorrow during Stated Meeting

NEW YORK - Today, in honor of Veterans Day, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Members announced that tomorrow, the Council will vote on a legislative package aimed at addressing issues impacting New York City veterans, including disabled veterans.

The package includes two bills that will improve housing access and affordability for veterans, with a bill that would grant a full property tax exemption for the primary residence of permanently and totally disabled veterans, and a second bill that would require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to conduct an annual report on veteran occupancy in city-run Mitchell-Lama housing. A third bill in the package would establish a permanent LGBTQ+ liaison within the Department of Veterans' Services (DVS).

"New York City is home to as many as 200,000 veterans, whose selfless sacrifices have kept us safe, and who now deserve real support in our city," said Speaker Julie Menin. "My father, Robert Jacobs, was a doctor at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he treated wounded warriors and brave veterans. His sense of service inspired my own and taught me about the battles that veterans face after they return home. The City Council is commemorating this Veterans Day with tangible action, passing a package of legislation that will improve life for veterans across the five boroughs. Every veteran deserves to afford to stay in their home and to live with dignity in the city and country they fought to defend."

The full list of bills in the Veterans Day package is as follows:

Providing Property Tax Exemptions for Permanently Disabled Veterans

Introduction 1051-A, sponsored by Council Member Frank Morano, would provide that the primary residence of any permanently and totally disabled veteran shall be fully exempt from taxation and special district charges, assessments and special ad valorem levies, provided that such veteran meets all other applicable requirements of section 458-a of the real property tax law.

"On Veterans Day, we thank the men and women who served our country," said Council Member Frank Morano. "The very next day, we're backing up those words with action. New York State has already given local governments the authority to eliminate property taxes for veterans who are 100 percent disabled as a result of their military service, and it's about time New York City did its part. These men and women have sacrificed enough, and they shouldn't have to worry about being taxed out of their own homes. We're talking about meaningful relief for approximately 4,500 veteran households at a cost to the city of less than $5 million. I'm grateful to Speaker Julie Menin and my colleagues from both parties for helping us deliver something more meaningful than another Veterans Day proclamation."

Improving Data Collection and Reporting on Veteran Access to Public Housing

Introduction 488-A, sponsored by Council Member Inna Vernikov, would require an annual report from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development on the number of veterans or their surviving spouses applying for housing in city-run Mitchell-Lama developments and the number of veterans being selected for occupancy, to ensure that applicants benefiting from a veteran preference are in fact veterans.

"Too many NYC veterans lack quality housing, and too few know about their options," said Council Member Inna Vernikov. "My bill, Intro 488, mandates a report verifying that applicants receiving the veterans preference in Mitchell-Lama housing are in fact veterans and veteran spouses. This is a measure of progress designed to encourage the Department of Veteran Services to connect more veterans to the underutilized Mitchell-Lama housing benefit. I thank Speaker Menin and Veteran Committee Chair Morano for helping me advance this meaningful step for veterans in our city."

Establishing an LGBTQ+ Liaison within the Department of Veterans' Services

Introduction 928-A, sponsored by Minority Leader David M. Carr, would establish an LGBTQ+ liaison within DVS. The liaison would be tasked with conducting outreach to LGBTQ+ veterans, coordinating the department's assistance with discharge characterization upgrades for LGBTQ+ veterans, and connecting LGBTQ+ veterans with programs and services offered by DVS and other relevant agencies.

"Years after the military rescinded its infamous 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, there are still thousands of veterans who were unjustly denied honorable discharges due to their identity, and have yet to receive the benefits they earned," said Minority Leader David M. Carr. "This legislation builds on a law passed by our predecessors that requires the city Department of Veterans' Services to extend city benefits to these veterans by ensuring there is a dedicated liaison whose main mission would be to assist them with getting reviews of their status to upgrade their discharges and to connect them with the assistance they need. These patriots who served our country deserve nothing less."

In the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, the City Council secured more than $4 million in funding for veteran programs, including a $3.4 million funding allocation for Citywide Initiatives investing in veteran health, housing, education, employment, benefits access, community development, cultural programming, and other veteran-related services.

"For nearly a decade, the VFW has stood firmly behind this real property tax law," said Ryan S. Graham, Legislative Committee Chair for VFW District 1 and Vice Chair of the VFW Department of New York Legislative Committee. "From initial introduction in the Queens County Council VFW legislative priorities in 2018 to helping push this through in the New York State legislature and executive chamber in 2025, the VFW has remained committed because our veterans deserve more than promises - they deserve action. This is about honoring their service with meaningful legislation, and we will continue advocating until that commitment becomes a reality in the Great City of New York. Thank you and much gratitude to Speaker Julie Menin, Committee on Veterans Chair Frank Morano, and the rest of the New York City Council for supporting this important legislation."

"SAGE applauds the New York City Council for advancing Intro 928-A, sponsored by Minority Leader David Carr, to create an LGBTQ+ Liaison within the Department of Veterans' Services," said Lynn A. Faria, Chief Executive Officer at SAGE. "Since launching SAGEVets in 2014, we have seen the need for dedicated support to help LGBTQ+ veterans access benefits, services, and community. We thank Minority Leader Carr for his leadership and look forward to partnering with the NYC Department of Veterans' Services to ensure LGBTQ+ veterans receive the support they deserve."

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