S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 1295--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             January 9, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens.  RANZENHOFER,  FELDER, FUNKE, LARKIN, PANEPINTO --
  read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to
  the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations -- recommit-
  ted  to  the  Committee on Investigations and Government Operations in
  accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --  committee  discharged,  bill
  amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
  tee

AN ACT to amend the tax  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  a  credit
  against  income  tax  for  the rehabilitation of distressed commercial
  properties

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Section  606  of  the  tax law is amended by adding a new
subsection (ccc) to read as follows:
  (CCC) CREDIT FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTRESSED  COMMERCIAL  PROPERTIES.
(1)  FOR TAXABLE YEARS BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
SIXTEEN, A TAXPAYER SHALL BE ALLOWED A CREDIT AS  HEREINAFTER  PROVIDED,
AGAINST  THE  TAX  IMPOSED BY THIS ARTICLE, IN AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THIRTY
PERCENT OF THE QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES MADE BY THE TAXPAY-
ER WITH RESPECT TO A QUALIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THE CREDIT SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
  (2) TAX CREDITS ALLOWED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL  BE  ALLOWED
IN THE TAXABLE YEAR IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS DEEMED A CERTIFIED REHABIL-
ITATION.
  (3)  IF  THE  AMOUNT OF THE CREDIT ALLOWABLE UNDER THIS SUBSECTION FOR
ANY TAXABLE YEAR SHALL EXCEED THE TAXPAYER'S  TAX  FOR  SUCH  YEAR,  THE
EXCESS  MAY  BE  CARRIED OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR YEARS, AND MAY BE
APPLIED AGAINST THE TAXPAYER'S TAX FOR SUCH YEAR OR YEARS, BUT SHALL NOT
EXCEED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02088-02-6

S. 1295--A                          2
              

  (4) (A) THE TERM "QUALIFIED  REHABILITATION  EXPENDITURE"  MEANS,  FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, ANY AMOUNT PROPERLY CHARGEABLE TO A CAPITAL
ACCOUNT:
  (I)  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE CERTIFIED REHABILITATION OF A QUALIFIED
DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, AND
  (II) FOR PROPERTY FOR WHICH  DEPRECIATION  WOULD  BE  ALLOWABLE  UNDER
SECTION 168 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.
  (B) SUCH TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE (I) THE COST OF ACQUIRING ANY BUILDING
OR  INTEREST  THEREIN, (II) ANY EXPENDITURE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE ENLARGE-
MENT OF AN EXISTING BUILDING, OR (III) ANY  EXPENDITURE  MADE  PRIOR  TO
JANUARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN OR AFTER DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE.
  (5) THE TERM "CERTIFIED REHABILITATION" MEANS, FOR  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SUBSECTION,  ANY  REHABILITATION  OF  A  CERTIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT  AS
BEING  COMPLETED,  WITH  A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY ISSUED, AND THAT THE
COSTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE WORK COMPLETED. SUCH  CERTIFICATION  SHALL
BE  ACCEPTABLE  AS PROOF THAT THE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO SUCH REHABILI-
TATION QUALIFY AS QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES FOR PURPOSES  OF
THE CREDIT ALLOWED UNDER PARAGRAPH ONE OF THIS SUBSECTION.
  (6) (A) THE TERM "QUALIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY" MEANS, FOR
PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SUBSECTION, A DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LOCATED
WITHIN NEW YORK STATE:
  (I) WHICH HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY REHABILITATED,
  (II) WHICH IS OWNED BY THE TAXPAYER, AND
  (III) WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN A DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL AREA, AS IDENTI-
FIED BY EACH LOCALITY THROUGH LOCAL LAW, THAT IS DEEMED AN AREA IN  NEED
OF COMMUNITY RENEWAL DUE TO DILAPIDATION AND VACANCIES.
  (B)  IF  THE  DISTRESSED  COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS RENTAL PROPERTY, SUCH
PROPERTY SHALL HAVE BEEN MORE THAN  THIRTY  PERCENT  VACANT  FOR  TWELVE
MONTHS WHILE ACTIVELY MARKETED FOR LEASE.
  (C) A BUILDING SHALL BE TREATED AS HAVING BEEN "SUBSTANTIALLY REHABIL-
ITATED" IF THE QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES IN RELATION TO SUCH
BUILDING TOTAL TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE.
  (7)  (A)  IF  THE TAXPAYER DISPOSES OF SUCH TAXPAYER'S INTEREST IN THE
QUALIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, OR SUCH PROPERTY CEASES TO  BE
USED  AS  A  COMMERCIAL  PROPERTY  OF  THE TAXPAYER WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF
RECEIVING THE CREDIT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, THE TAXPAYER'S  TAX  IMPOSED
BY THIS ARTICLE FOR THE TAXABLE YEAR IN WHICH SUCH DISPOSITION OR CESSA-
TION  OCCURS  SHALL  BE INCREASED BY THE RECAPTURE PORTION OF THE CREDIT
ALLOWED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION FOR ALL PRIOR TAXABLE YEARS  WITH  RESPECT
TO SUCH REHABILITATION.
  (B)  FOR PURPOSES OF SUBPARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE RECAPTURE
PORTION SHALL BE THE PRODUCT OF THE AMOUNT  OF  CREDIT  CLAIMED  BY  THE
TAXPAYER MULTIPLIED BY A RATIO, THE NUMERATOR OF WHICH IS EQUAL TO SIXTY
LESS  THE  NUMBER  OF MONTHS THE BUILDING IS OWNED OR USED AS COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY BY THE TAXPAYER AND THE DENOMINATOR OF WHICH IS SIXTY.
  (8)  ANY  EXPENDITURE  FOR  WHICH  A  CREDIT  IS  CLAIMED  UNDER  THIS
SUBSECTION  SHALL  NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OTHER CREDIT UNDER THIS CHAP-
TER.
  S 2. Subparagraph (B) of paragraph 1 of subsection (i) of section  606
of  the  tax  law  is  amended  by  adding a new clause (xli) to read as
follows:
(XLI) CREDIT FOR REHABILITATION       AMOUNT OF CREDIT UNDER
OF DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES   SUBDIVISION FORTY-NINE
UNDER SUBSECTION (CCC)                OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TEN-B

S. 1295--A                          3

  S 3. Section 210-B of the tax law is amended by adding a new  subdivi-
sion 49 to read as follows:
  49. CREDIT FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. (1)
FOR  TAXABLE  YEARS  BEGINNING  ON  OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
SIXTEEN, A TAXPAYER SHALL BE ALLOWED A CREDIT AS  HEREINAFTER  PROVIDED,
AGAINST  THE  TAX  IMPOSED BY THIS ARTICLE, IN AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THIRTY
PERCENT OF THE QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES MADE BY THE TAXPAY-
ER WITH RESPECT TO A QUALIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THE CREDIT SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
  (2) TAX CREDITS ALLOWED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE  ALLOWED
IN THE TAXABLE YEAR IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS DEEMED A CERTIFIED REHABIL-
ITATION.
  (3)  IF  THE AMOUNT OF THE CREDIT ALLOWABLE UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION FOR
ANY TAXABLE YEAR SHALL EXCEED THE TAXPAYER'S  TAX  FOR  SUCH  YEAR,  THE
EXCESS  MAY  BE  CARRIED OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR YEARS, AND MAY BE
APPLIED AGAINST THE TAXPAYER'S TAX FOR SUCH YEAR OR YEARS, BUT SHALL NOT
EXCEED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
  (4) (A) THE TERM "QUALIFIED  REHABILITATION  EXPENDITURE"  MEANS,  FOR
PURPOSES  OF THIS SUBDIVISION, ANY AMOUNT PROPERLY CHARGEABLE TO A CAPI-
TAL ACCOUNT:
  (I) IN CONNECTION WITH THE CERTIFIED  REHABILITATION  OF  A  QUALIFIED
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, AND
  (II)  FOR  PROPERTY  FOR  WHICH  DEPRECIATION WOULD BE ALLOWABLE UNDER
SECTION 168 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.
  (B) SUCH TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE (I) THE COST OF ACQUIRING ANY BUILDING
OR INTEREST THEREIN, (II) ANY EXPENDITURE ATTRIBUTABLE TO  THE  ENLARGE-
MENT  OF  AN  EXISTING  BUILDING, OR (III) ANY EXPENDITURE MADE PRIOR TO
JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN OR AFTER DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST,  TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE.
  (5)  THE  TERM  "CERTIFIED REHABILITATION" MEANS, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
SUBDIVISION, ANY REHABILITATION OF  A  CERTIFIED  DISTRESSED  COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY  WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS
BEING COMPLETED, WITH A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY ISSUED,  AND  THAT  THE
COSTS  ARE  CONSISTENT WITH THE WORK COMPLETED. SUCH CERTIFICATION SHALL
BE ACCEPTABLE AS PROOF THAT THE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO  SUCH  REHABILI-
TATION  QUALIFY AS QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES FOR PURPOSES OF
THE CREDIT ALLOWED UNDER PARAGRAPH ONE OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
  (6) (A) THE TERM "QUALIFIED DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY" MEANS, FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, A DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL  PROPERTY  LOCATED
WITHIN NEW YORK STATE:
  (I) WHICH HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY REHABILITATED,
  (II) WHICH IS OWNED BY THE TAXPAYER, AND
  (III) WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN A DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL AREA, AS IDENTI-
FIED  BY EACH LOCALITY THROUGH LOCAL LAW, THAT IS DEEMED AN AREA IN NEED
OF COMMUNITY RENEWAL DUE TO DILAPIDATION AND VACANCIES.
  (B) IF THE DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY  IS  RENTAL  PROPERTY,  SUCH
PROPERTY  SHALL  HAVE  BEEN  MORE  THAN THIRTY PERCENT VACANT FOR TWELVE
MONTHS WHILE ACTIVELY MARKETED FOR LEASE.
  (C) A BUILDING SHALL BE TREATED AS HAVING BEEN "SUBSTANTIALLY REHABIL-
ITATED" IF THE QUALIFIED REHABILITATION EXPENDITURES IN RELATION TO SUCH
BUILDING TOTAL TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE.
  (7) (A) IF THE TAXPAYER DISPOSES OF SUCH TAXPAYER'S  INTEREST  IN  THE
QUALIFIED  DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, OR SUCH PROPERTY CEASES TO BE
USED AS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OF  THE  TAXPAYER  WITHIN  FIVE  YEARS  OF
RECEIVING  THE CREDIT UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TAXPAYER'S TAX IMPOSED
BY THIS ARTICLE FOR THE TAXABLE YEAR IN WHICH SUCH DISPOSITION OR CESSA-

S. 1295--A                          4

TION OCCURS SHALL BE INCREASED BY THE RECAPTURE PORTION  OF  THE  CREDIT
ALLOWED  UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION FOR ALL PRIOR TAXABLE YEARS WITH RESPECT
TO SUCH REHABILITATION.
  (B)  FOR PURPOSES OF SUBPARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE RECAPTURE
PORTION SHALL BE THE PRODUCT OF THE AMOUNT  OF  CREDIT  CLAIMED  BY  THE
TAXPAYER MULTIPLIED BY A RATIO, THE NUMERATOR OF WHICH IS EQUAL TO SIXTY
LESS  THE  NUMBER  OF MONTHS THE BUILDING IS OWNED OR USED AS COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY BY THE TAXPAYER AND THE DENOMINATOR OF WHICH IS SIXTY.
  (8) ANY EXPENDITURE FOR WHICH A CREDIT IS CLAIMED UNDER THIS  SUBDIVI-
SION SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OTHER CREDIT UNDER THIS CHAPTER.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to taxable
years beginning on or after January 1, 2016.