Communism has arrived in New York.
New York passed the ‘COPA Act’ – which forces homeowners to offer their property to the government or an NGO before they can list it for sale.
The law triggers a mandated “right of first offer” period, giving pre-approved nonprofits up to 45 days to express interest and another 90 days to submit a bid, followed by a 15-day window to match any third-party offer if one emerges.
Failure to comply could result in civil penalties starting at 3% of the sale price, and nonprofits could seek court injunctions to block deals.
Many are calling it a blow to private property rights and free-market principles, that gives the government and non-profits—exclusive first dibs on purchasing properties before owners can sell them on the open market.
The bill, which passed with a 30-10 vote despite fierce opposition from landlord groups and real estate stakeholders, requires owners of distressed residential properties to notify the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) before even listing or accepting offers.
Supporters say the new law will preserve affordable housing as the city suffers from a housing shortage, but critics disagree saying it represents government overreach and will exacerbate the housing crisis by discouraging property maintenance and new development.
COPA’s rollout is phased.
In the first year (2026), it targets only the most severely distressed properties, such as those in HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program, facing foreclosures, or with orders to fix the issues.
Starting in the second year, coverage widens to buildings with at least one open hazardous or immediately hazardous violation per unit, as well as those where affordability restrictions have expired within the past two years or are set to lapse soon.
Exemptions include one- to three-unit buildings, owner-occupied properties with five or fewer units, vacant lots, and purely commercial structures.
Conservatives say this plan ignores the root causes of New York’s housing crisis—decades of rent control, zoning restrictions, and high taxes that have lessened the supply and inflated costs for everyone.
In short: You can no longer sell property in New York City without first getting the permission of the government — on the price, and all the details of the sale.
Imagine being unable to sell your home without first getting permission from government authorities as to the price and the terms. Would you still feel like it’s your property? Would you still feel like you live in a free market, even a regulated one — or even in a free country, at all?
The government has, in effect, declared that it owns all private property in New York City. You can dispose of that property only with the government’s permission.
This is Communism. It’s evil — but it’s also poverty-inducing. When you stop people from acting rationally and in their own best interests economically, you force people into stupidity, bureaucracy and poverty as a way of life.
New York City is in serious trouble.