A possible 18 percent water-rate hike has been tabled after a deal was struck giving the city the power to put liens on deadbeats’ homes.
Lawmakers and mayoral aides reached an agreement yesterday after months of contentious negotiation and howls of protest on the steps of City Hall.
The deal gives officials the ability to place liens on homes for the collection of sewer and water bills from properties that don’t also owe back taxes.
The Water Board agreed to nix the possible hike now that it has the power to collect additional revenue through the liens.
Up until now, water scofflaws who’d paid their property taxes weren’t in danger of losing their homes because the water liens couldn’t be sold as a stand-alone lien.
“For too long our hands have been tied, but now we can effectively enforce collections and stop passing the burden caused by a small percentage of irresponsible rate payers onto the more than 85 percent of New Yorkers who pay on time,” Mayor Bloomberg said.
At the City Council’s insistence, the deal includes exemptions for single-family homes, those with low incomes or disabilities, seniors and homeowners with serious economic distress.
“We don’t want to exacerbate the foreclosure crisis,” said James Gennaro (D-Queens), chairman of the council’s committee on Environmental Protection. The council also sought an ombudsman unit for customers to challenge their bills.