De Blasio Hiked Rent On Park Slope Properties, Tax Return Shows

NEW YORK — Not even the mayor's tenants can catch a rent break. Mayor Bill de Blasio hiked the rents last year for the two Park Slope properties he owns with first lady Chirlane McCray, the couple's 2018 tax return shows.

The pair recorded $108,450 in rental income from the 11th Street buildings last year, up slightly from $104,000 in 2017, according to a copy of the return City Hall released Tuesday. Politico New York first noted the increase.

While that wasn't quite enough to cover all costs for the homes, the return shows the properties cost the couple less than the year before. They recorded $109,323 in expenses for the buildings in 2018, down from $116,482 in 2017.

De Blasio and McCray left their Park Slope home for the Upper East Side's Gracie Mansion when the mayor took office in 2014, though they regularly return to the neighborhood to work out and run errands. The other building the couple rents out is the former home of the mayor's late mother, according to Politico.

De Blasio's earnings jumped to $251,204 last year from $220,188 thanks to a bump in his salary, a mayoral spokeswoman said. The tax return lists McCray's occupation as "writer" but the first lady does not get a salary for her work with the city.

The couple paid $69,235 in city, state and federal taxes last year, up 14 percent from 2017, though their effective tax rate was roughly flat, City Hall says. They are due to receive a federal refund of $818 and a state refund of $4,740.

The pair gave $1,050 to charity last year, $700 more than in 2017, according to City Hall. And they paid more than $48,000 in Yale University tuition for their son, Dante, who is also listed as a dependent, according to the return.

"The Mayor and First Lady recognize how critical it is for every American to pay their fair share of taxes and for our leaders to be transparent in doing so," mayoral spokeswoman Marcy Miranda said in a statement. "Every New Yorker – including corporations – must pay their dues to help keep our streets safe and clean, to ensure our children receive a good education, and to sustain NYC’s beautiful parks for everyone to enjoy."