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Rent freeze for seniors

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

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.

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

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.

How to apply

Apply by mail

  1. Print and complete the initial application (or call 311 for an application).
  2. Mail your completed and signed application along with supporting documents to:
    Rent Freeze Program – SCRIE
    P.O. Box 3179
    Union, NJ 07083

If you live in Mitchell-Lama or Redevelopment Company development housing:

  1. Download the HPD SCRIE application and complete it.
  2. Email your completed application to [email protected] or mail it to:
    HPD SCRIE Unit
    100 Gold Street, 7th floor
    New York, New York, 10038

More information

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.


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Last Updated February 18, 2025