Pakistan's Roosevelt Hotel took $146M in NYC taxpayer cash for migrants - and owes over $13M

"After pocketing $146.6 million to run the Roosevelt Hotel as a migrant shelter for two years, Pakistan's state-owned property is now stiffing the city for $13.6 million in overdue property taxes and nearly $1 million in unpaid water bills. Even worse: A sweetheart deal with the feds to redevelop the Midtown landmark into a supertall skyscraper could let Pakistan dodge all future taxes - potentially costing the city tens of millions per year."

"The Roosevelt served as the primary intake center for migrants flooding the city starting in 2022, processing more than 173,000 of the 232,000 asylum seekers. The hotel often housed 2,600 migrants a night from May 2023 through June 2025, under a $220 million contract that paid about $202 per night per room."

"A joint venture between Pakistan and the US government to demolish the Roosevelt and build an office tower could trigger a federal tax exemption, since the State Department typically asks the DOF to grant one when a foreign government buys US property. However, any charges that accrued prior to government ownership must still be paid."

Pakistan's state-owned Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan received $146.6 million from the federal government over two years to operate as a migrant shelter, processing over 173,000 asylum seekers. However, the property currently owes $13.6 million in overdue property taxes and nearly $1 million in unpaid water bills. Despite signing a payment agreement with the city in September 2023, Pakistan missed multiple payments including a $573,361 payment due January 2 and a $3.9 million half-year payment. The annual property tax bill reaches $7.7 million. A proposed joint venture between Pakistan and the US government to redevelop the Roosevelt into an office tower could trigger a federal tax exemption, potentially costing the city tens of millions annually in lost revenue.

Read at New York Post