Rent freeze programs open to households earning up to $75,000
The Council voted to raise the SCRIE and DRIE income cap for the first time since 2015. At a September hearing, the city estimated about 5,000 more households would enroll.
More older and disabled renters can now qualify for New York City's rent freeze programs. On Thursday the City Council passed Int. 978-B. It raises the household income limit for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) from $50,000 to $75,000, according to the Council's press release.
The programs freeze rent for eligible tenants. The landlord gets a property tax credit to cover future increases. The $50,000 cap had not changed since 2015. Albany approved a higher limit in its budget, and the city still had to pass its own law to use it. The higher limit is retroactive to July 1, 2026, the release says. The bill also brings the city's definition of income in line with state law.
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Council Member Farah Louis sponsored the bill. The release quotes her saying older adults and people with disabilities "should not have to choose between paying their rent" and other basic needs.
What our records add
The city expects the change to reach about 5,000 more households. Three committees held a joint hearing on September 18: Aging, Finance and Disabilities. Jeffrey Sheer, the Department of Finance's first deputy commissioner, testified that the department supports the bill. He projected that the new ceiling would raise enrollment about 9 percent, or roughly 5,000 households. He put the first-year cost at $4.5 million.
Most eligible households aren't enrolled. At the same hearing, Louis cited 67,677 households receiving benefits in 2024. About 158,000 households were potentially eligible in 2023. Disabilities Chair Shahana Hanif said DRIE enrollment fell from 12,215 in 2019 to 11,012 in 2024. Aging Chair Susan Zhuang pointed to a 2025 needs assessment that found one in four older adults surveyed lacked stable housing. Finance Chair Linda Lee opened by framing the bills around tenants who choose between rent and daily needs.
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Members raised outreach. Council Member Chris Banks said the programs only work when people know they exist. Council Member Gale Brewer described the Finance Department's monthly sign-up clinics at her office. She said demand is high enough that people need to book ahead. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers asked how many homeowners could benefit from a parallel change to a homeowner exemption.
Broad sponsorship. The matter record lists 38 sponsors. The bill went through amendments in three committees in September. The Finance Committee approved it Thursday morning, and the full Council passed it the same afternoon. That made it one of eight local laws passed at the meeting.
What it means for you
If you are 62 or older (SCRIE), or receive certain disability benefits (DRIE), you may qualify. You also need to live in a rent-regulated apartment and pay more than a third of your income in rent. Under the new limit, your household income can be up to $75,000. The Department of Finance runs both programs. Applications and help are available through 311.
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What's next
The bill now goes to Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Under the City Charter, he has 30 days to sign or veto it. If he does neither, it becomes law. The release says the higher limit applies retroactively once the bill is enacted.
Other bills heard in September were not on Thursday's agenda. They include Int. 307, which would create a universal online application for the programs.