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Cash & Expenses

Rent freeze for seniors

Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) | NYC Department of Finance (DOF), NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)

1. How it Works

SCRIE helps eligible senior citizens 62 and older stay in affordable housing by freezing their rent. Tenants can keep paying what they were paying even if their landlord increases the rent. The landlord gets a property tax credit that covers the difference between the new and original rent amount.

  • Only senior citizens who live in certain rentals or developments can qualify for SCRIE.
  • Renew on time to keep paying the same amount of rent in the future as you do now.
  • You are not required to file taxes to qualify for SCRIE.
  • You do not need your landlord’s permission to apply.
  • The NYC Rent Freeze program also includes the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) for people with disabilities.

2. Determine your eligibility

To be eligible for SCRIE, you should be able to answer “yes” to all of these questions:

  1. Are you 62 or older?
  2. Is your name on the lease (or the share certificate if you live in a Mitchell-Lama development)?
  3. Is your combined household income $50,000 or less in a year?
  4. Do you spend more than one-third of your monthly income on rent?
  5. Do you live in NYC in one of these types of housing?
    • a rent stabilized apartment
    • a rent controlled apartment
    • a rent regulated hotel or single room occupancy unit
    • a Mitchell-Lama development
    • a Limited Dividend Housing Company development
    • a Redevelopment Company development
    • a Housing Development Fund Company development

Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.

Am I Eligible?

3. What you need to include

To apply for SCRIE, you will need copies of documents that prove:

  • Who you are (and your age)
  • Where you live
    • You need to prove your rent which includes prior and current documents or leases.
  • Income
    • This includes your income and the income of all household members who lived in your apartment for the year before you submit your application. For example, if you apply in 2023, you will need income information for 2022.

Next section:

4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

Apply by mail

Come back to it later.
We can send you a link to this page to help you get back to it when you’re ready.

More ways to get help with this program

Learn more online

Visit the NYC Rent Freeze Program website to learn more.

If you live in an HPD development, visit HPD’s website to learn more about HPD-supervised SCRIE.

Contact SCRIE

Ask for help from the Department of Finance.

Email HPD

For questions about HPD-supervised SCRIE, email [email protected]

Call 311

Ask about SCRIE.

Call SCRIE using TTY

Call 212-639-9675 if you have a hard time hearing.

Call HPD

Call 212-863-8494 if you have questions about HPD-supervised SCRIE.

Get help with the application

Call 929-252-7242 to get one-on-one help with applying for DHE from an NYC Public Engagement Unit Specialist.

Last Updated November 24, 2023

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