City Expands Benefits of Rent Freeze Programs for Seniors and Disabled

The city recently released updated guidelines for its rent freeze programs that help senior citizens (aged 62 and over) and tenants with qualifying disabilities (aged 18 and over) stay in housing by freezing their rent. Together, Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disabled Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) make up the NYC Rent Freeze Program, which is administered by the NYC Department of Finance. Under the program, a property tax credit covers the difference between the actual rent amount and what the tenant is responsible for paying at the frozen rate.

The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, passed by the State Legislature earlier this year, locks in preferential rents for the length of a tenancy, rather than the length of a tenant’s lease. Now, the city can freeze otherwise eligible tenants’ rents at the preferential level, instead of the legal rent.

There are roughly 74,666 households currently enrolled in these programs. The city has been ramping up efforts to canvass targeted neighborhoods and distribute information to all who could benefit from enrolling.