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Rent freeze for seniors
Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) | NYC Department of Finance / NYC Housing Preservation and Development
1. How it Works
SCRIE helps eligible senior citizens stay in affordable housing with a rent freeze. If their rent goes up, people with SCRIE do not have to pay the higher rent. The City pays the landlord the difference between the current rent and the future rent.
- Once you apply, it takes 10 – 15 days to hear back
- You can qualify for SCRIE even if you have not filed your taxes
- Senior citizens who own homes, condominiums or private non-government supervised co-ops may be eligible for the SCRIE
- You will need to send documents. Never mail your original documents, just copies
- You do not need your landlord’s permission to apply
- Apply by mail, by phone, or in person
- The NYC Rent Freeze program also includes Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE)
Next section:
More ways to get help with this program
Visit the website
Visit the SCRIE website to learn more about this program.
Email SCRIE
Email SCRIE for more information.
Call 311
Ask for a SCRIE specialist.
Call SCRIE using TTY
Call 212-639-9675 if you have a hard time hearing.
Visit the SCRIE walk-in center
66 John St, 3rd Floor
New York, NY, 10038
Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
2. Determine your eligibility
To be eligible for SCRIE, you should be able to answer yes to all of these questions:
- Are you 62 or older?
- Is your name on the lease?
- Is your combined household income $50,000 or less in a year?
- Do you spend more than one-third of your monthly income on rent?
- 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?Next section:
3. What you need to include
It’s important to include the right documents when you apply. Your documents show whether the program is right for you.
This page can help you choose the right documents for your application.
Proof of who you are
For each person applying, any one document:
- Driver license or official photo ID
- IDNYC
- Birth certificate
- Baptismal or another religious certificate
- Passport
- Social Security Card for dependents
- Social Security Card or ITIN
- Marriage records
- Medicaid card
- Naturalization certificate
- Official birth records
- Official school records
- Other official record showing birth date
- Adoption records
Proof of where you live
For the household, a copy of all that apply:
For Rent Stabilized Apartment
- Leases – The prior and current one or two-year lease signed by you and your landlord
- Preferential rent rider (if applicable)
- Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or 80/20 or 60/40 rider (if applicable) or DHCR Rent History
- Any recent Major Capital Improvement (MCI) Orders issued by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR)
For Rent Controlled Apartment (a copy of all of these)
- Prior calendar year Notice of Increase in Maximum Base Rent and Maximum Collectible Rent Form RN-26
- Current calendar year Notice of Increase in Maximum Base Rent and Maximum Collectible Rent Form RN-26
- Prior calendar year Owner’s Report and Certification of fuel cost adjustment Form RA33.10
- Current calendar year Owner’s Report and Certification of fuel cost adjustment Form RA33.10
For Rent Regulated Hotel Unit
- DHCR annual apartment registration for prior and current year
- Signed rent increase letter from the management or owner or DHCR rent history
- Any recent Major Capital Improvement (MCI) Orders issued by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR)
For Mitchell-Lama Limited Dividend Redevelopment(a copy of all of these)
- Rent history printout or letter from your management office with the date of your last rent increase, and the amount paid before and after the increase
- Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) or Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR) Commissioner’s Order
For Housing Development Fund Company (HDFC)
- A Notice of Rent or Carrying Charge Increase signed by the HDFC Management
- Copy of the share certificate (if applicable)
Proof of Household Income
For each income source of each income earner, any one document:
Wages & Salary
- W2
- Income tax return
Self-employment
- 1099-G
- Award letter or certificate
- Correspondence from NYS Department of Labor
Cash Assistance grant
- Cash Assistance budget statement
Unemployment Income
- Award letter or certificate
- Current benefit check
Social Security Benefits (SSI, Dependent, Disability, Survivor’s, or Retirement)
- Correspondence from Social Security Administration showing the benefit amount paid in the last calendar year (e.g. Notice of Change in Payment for SSI benefit, or SSA-1099 SSDI benefit)
Veteran’s Benefits
- Correspondence from the Veteran’s Administration that shows the disability pension or compensation that you were paid in the last calendar year
Pensions, Annuities, or IRA
- 1099-R
- Statement from pension or annuity
Interest, Dividends, or Royalties
- 1099-DIV
- 1099-INT
- Statement from bank, credit union, or financial institution
Support from other Family Members
- Signed letter from friend/family stating amount of monetary assistance
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4. How to apply
Here are your options.
Apply by mail
- Download the application and fill it out. You can also pick one up from the SCRIE Walk-In Center or call 311 to request an application be mailed to you.
- People who live in Mitchell-Lama or Redevelopment Company development should mail their application and documents to:
NYC Department of Housing and Development
Division of Housing Supervision, SCRIE Unit
100 Gold Street, 7th floor
New York, NY 10038 - People who live in other types of qualified housing should mail their application and documents to:
NYC Department of Finance, SCRIE Unit
59 Maiden Lane, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10038
https://access.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SCRIE_Application_Packet_EN.pdf Download the form
Apply by phone
Call HPD at 212-863-8494 to apply if you are living in Mitchell-Lama or Redevelopment Company development housing.
Apply in person
- If you live in qualified housing, other than Mitchell-Lama or Redevelopment Company development housing, you can apply in person.
- Gather all of the personal documents you’ll need to apply. It’s OK to bring copies.
- Visit the walk-in center:
66 John St, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10038
Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
https://access.nyc.gov/location/scriedrie-walk-in-center/ Find the office
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More ways to get help with this program
Visit the website
Visit the SCRIE website to learn more about this program.
Email SCRIE
Email SCRIE for more information.
Call 311
Ask for a SCRIE specialist.
Call SCRIE using TTY
Call 212-639-9675 if you have a hard time hearing.
Visit the SCRIE walk-in center
66 John St, 3rd Floor
New York, NY, 10038
Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.