It’s no secret that finding affordable housing in New York City is getting harder and harder. According to the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, over 200,000 rent regulated apartments have been lost since 1981. More so, landlords continue to use tactics such as buying out tenants, locking them out of their apartments, or making major improvements in order to deregulate even more rent-stabilized apartments.

But residents of NYC have rights!

The 9 resources below will help educate you on what you need to know if you are in a rent stabilized apartment:

Resource/Link

Summary

New York City Rent Guidelines BoardThe Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) is the body that decides what the rent adjustments will be each year for the approximately one million apartments subject to the Rent Stabilization Law in New York City. On their site, you can view the rent guidelines, send your housing questions to staff by email, or read one of many useful publications.

 

How to Tell if Your Building is Rent Stabilized/List of Rent Stabilized BuildingsThis fact sheet includes information on how you can tell if your apartment is rent stabilized. It also contains lists of rent stabilized buildings, arranged by borough and zip code, where you can look up your building.
Contact Information for the State Division of Housing and Community RenewalInformation on how to get in touch with the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), the state agency that deals with rent control and rent stabilization.
Rent Increases in Rent Stabilized ApartmentsInformation on how to tell if your apartment is rent stabilized, and if you are rent stabilized, what rules the landlord must follow to legally increase your rent.
  Vacancy Lease CalculatorThis link contains on-line calculator that can help tenants moving into a rent stabilized apartment to calculate the monthly rent that the landlord is legally permitted to charge.
Collecting Overcharges in Rent Stabilized Apartments in New York CityFor rent stabilized tenants who have been overcharged by their landlords, this fact sheet explains the different methods for collecting your overcharge back from the landlord after you have won your case.
Preferential Rents And Rent Concessions For Rent Stabilized ApartmentsThis fact sheet explains what happens when a landlord asks a tenant for less rent than the landlord can legally charge.
Fuel Cost AdjustmentsInformation for rent controlled tenants only on when a landlord should increase or decrease the rent based on the cost of heating fuel.
Are You Paying Too Much Rent?Here’s How To Find Out What Your Legal Rent Should Be. Spanish / Español

Groups that can help:

·         Housing Court Answers

·         Housing Conservation Coordinators

·         Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation

·         New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): The Mobile Legal Help Center (MLHC)

·         MFY Legal Services, Inc. - Neighborhood Preservation Project

·         City Bar Justice Center Legal Hotline

·         Brooklyn Housing and Family Services

·         Community Service Society

·         Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) Elderly Project