Leasing & tenant law · 10/23/2026
City Council Raises SCRIE and DRIE Rent Freeze Income Cap to $75,000
The City Council voted Thursday to raise the household income cap for SCRIE and DRIE from $50,000 to $75,000, opting into a state change. The programs freeze rents for qualifying seniors 62 and older and tenants with disabilities in rent-stabilized apartments. Landlords get a tax credit for the difference. Tenants must also spend at least a third of their income on rent.
Reported by City LimitsRead the original ↗
What happened
The New York City Council voted Thursday to raise the income limit for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE), City Limits reported on Oct. 23, 2026. These programs freeze rents for qualifying tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. The landlord gets a tax credit to cover the difference.
Households earning up to $75,000 a year can now qualify. The old cap was $50,000. The city last updated the income limit in 2014. Officials said the change applies retroactively as of July.
Earlier this year the State Legislature passed a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal that raised income eligibility at the state level. The city had to opt in, and Thursday's vote did that. Council Member Farah Louis sponsored the city bill. Rosenthal also sponsored a separate state bill, passed this year, that requires landlords to notify eligible tenants about SCRIE and DRIE when signing or renewing leases, among other times.
Officials say the programs are underused. A prior city report estimated that only 42 percent of eligible households used the rent freezes in 2023, down from 56 percent in 2019. City data shows about 67,677 households benefited from SCRIE and DRIE in 2024.
Key facts
- New income limit
- $75,000 per household per year
- Old income limit
- $50,000, last updated in 2014
- Effective date
- Retroactive as of July, according to officials
- Age rule (SCRIE)
- 62 or older
- Disability rule (DRIE)
- Must receive federal disability assistance
- Rent burden rule
- Spending at least one third of monthly income on rent
- Housing type
- Rent-regulated apartments
- Households served (2024)
- About 67,677
What it means
Tenants and voucher holders
Rent-regulated tenants who are 62 or older, or who receive federal disability assistance, may now qualify with household income up to $75,000, as long as rent takes at least a third of their income. People turned down under the old $50,000 cap may want to check again.
Landlords
Owners of rent-regulated buildings may see more tenants with frozen rents. The difference is covered by a tax credit instead of tenant payments. A separate state law will require landlords to tell eligible tenants about SCRIE and DRIE at lease signing and renewal, among other times.
Caseworkers
More older and disabled clients in rent-regulated units may now be eligible. Uptake was only an estimated 42 percent of eligible households in 2023, so screening clients near the new $75,000 limit could help.
The highlights
- The previous income cap was $50,000, last updated in 2014.
- The change applies retroactively as of July, officials said.
- Only 42% of eligible households used the programs in 2023, down from 56% in 2019.
Why it matters
More rent-stabilized tenants can lock in rents, with landlords offset by tax credits, and a state bill requires landlords to tell eligible tenants.
What to do: Check whether rent-stabilized tenants who are seniors or have disabilities now qualify.
Not known yet
- How the retroactive July start date works for people who apply now
- When the landlord notification requirement takes effect and what the notice must include
- How household income is counted for the new limit
- Whether the bill still needs the mayor's signature
Background
SCRIE and DRIE do not lower rent. They hold a tenant's rent at a set level so future increases are not passed on to that tenant. The owner receives a property tax credit equal to the amount the tenant no longer pays. Tenants generally must apply and later renew to keep the benefit, and eligibility depends on age or disability status, income, and how much of their income goes to rent.
Summary written by Bulwark from City Limits’s reporting. The original story is at citylimits.org. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0