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Free clinic says weekly Saturday services justify tax-exemption; city questions full exemption for single-day operation
Summary
Representatives for Muslim American Care and Compassion told Syracuse hearing officers the free clinic has operated Saturday clinics since 2012 and demonstrated volunteer-supported services, but assessors raised concerns about a full-year exemption when the facility is open one day a week.
A representative of Muslim American Care and Compassion told Syracuse City assessor staff at a hearing that the organization operates a free clinic primarily on Saturdays and continues to serve uninsured patients, but city staff said the frequency and intensity of on-site services raised questions about awarding a full property tax exemption.
The clinic’s administrator said the program began in 2012 and currently is open on Saturdays; before COVID the clinic had two weekly days of service, and the organization now supplements in-person care with telehealth. The hearing record shows volunteer physicians and community partners (including Lab Alliance for testing) provide services without pay and that patient visits varied widely, from as few as three to as many as 27 on some Saturdays.
Hearing officer Joe Saya and city staff said the assessor’s files showed a denial for the 2025 tax year because a code inspection report listed the property as vacant and meter readings suggested very low water usage. The administrator provided lists of volunteer providers and said low utility readings reflected limited water usage on single clinic days rather than a lack of activity.
City staff said they wished the clinic had greater or more consistent on-site activity and asked whether the organization had done outreach, marketing, or plans to expand service days — the administrator said the clinic had worked with affiliated medical centers and students and had plans to rebuild outreach and the website, and that many free clinics scaled back after COVID. The assessor said the office was sympathetic to the clinic’s community mission but expressed “a little trouble with a full exemption on 52 days out of the year,” and said the assessor would need to confirm building use, meter readings and supporting paperwork before restoring a full exemption.
No final decision was announced at the hearing; staff told the representative the city will issue a decision notice in April and may seek additional documentation such as evidence of regular on-site services or proof of consistent utility use.
