Mamdani publishes names, addresses of NYC property owners who could face new tax

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has published a searchable database containing the names and addresses of hundreds of thousands of property owners whose residences may be subject to a new surcharge on high-value, non-primary residences. Critics warn that aggregating the information could expose New Yorkers to harassment and safety risks.

The New York City Department of Finance released the supplemental property roll July 24 as part of its implementation of the annual surcharge, commonly known as a pied-à-terre tax. The New York Post reported that the database contains more than 960,000 properties and allows users to search or download information identifying their owners.

The department cautioned on its website, however, that the roll “includes, but is not limited to,” properties that may ultimately be subject to the surcharge, meaning a property’s appearance on the list does not mean it qualifies for the tax. The roll will remain available for public inspection and examination until Dec. 31, according to the department.

Critics have accused the administration of effectively doxxing New Yorkers by compiling property owners’ publicly available names and addresses into an easily searchable database, which they say could create safety risks.

City Council Minority Leader David Carr, a Republican from Staten Island whose own home appears on the list, called its publication “reckless and foolish” in a statement to the Post. He said the database likely includes thousands of properties that are not second homes and whose owners will ultimately establish that they do not owe the surcharge.

Prominent names on the list include filmmaker Woody Allen, former Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and actress Cynthia Nixon, a Mamdani supporter, according to the Post. The outlet also identified modest homes in several working-class neighborhoods and a small Queens shopping center among the listed properties.

The release follows a July 23 social media post in which Mamdani warned owners of expensive second homes that tax notices were on the way. 

“If you own a second home in New York City worth more than $5 million, check your mailbox when you’re back in the five boroughs, because you’ve got mail,” Mamdani wrote. “The best city in the world deserves the best parks, libraries, and schools in the world. That’s only possible when we all pay our fair share.”

Under the department's guidelines, the surcharge will apply during the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 property-tax years to qualifying one-, two-, and three-family homes valued at more than $5 million. Condominium and cooperative units become potentially eligible at values of $1 million or more. Surcharge rates range from 0.8% to 1.3% of market value for qualifying homes and from 4% to 6.5% for qualifying condominium and cooperative units, depending on their value. The first charges are scheduled to appear on property-tax bills due Jan. 1, 2027.

A department spokesperson said state law required the city to publish the property roll for public inspection, according to FOX News.

“As per State law, a property roll was released for public inspection,” the spokesperson told the outlet. “From this list, DOF will identify properties that may be subject to the new non-primary residence property surcharge.”

Still, critics argue Mamdani’s database goes beyond traditional public records by compiling homeowners’ names and addresses into an easily searchable database, FOX News reported.

Real Estate Board of New York President James Whelan also told Fox News Digital that the size of the database illustrates how broadly the city cast its initial net, potentially capturing residents beyond the wealthy second-home owners whom supporters said the surcharge would target. 

“By publishing a database of properties that might be subject to this tax before the tax has even been enacted, City Hall has only added to the confusion surrounding this proposal,” Whelan told the outlet.

He added, “Policymakers should take a hard look at the many homeowners who could be swept in despite not fitting the profile of the ultra-wealthy residents this tax was supposedly designed to target.”

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