NY State Senate Bill 2025-S2451A

Senate Bill S2451A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Permits localities to opt to reduce renters' payments towards rent to one-third of household income for eligible participants in the SCRIE and DRIE programs

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Aging Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 05, 2025	print number 2451a
Feb 05, 2025	amend and recommit to aging
Jan 17, 2025	referred to aging

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2025-S2451 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Aging
Law Section:: Real Property Tax Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §467-b, RPT L; amd §§26-605 & 26-509, NYC Ad Cd
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S7057
2019-2020: S7754
2021-2022: S2806
2023-2024: S569

2025-S2451 - Summary

Relates to establishing a maximum rent of one-third of household income for the senior citizens rent increase exemption and disability rent increase exemption.

2025-S2451 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2451

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property tax law and the administrative code of
the city of New York, in relation to establishing a maximum rent of
one-third of household income for the senior citizens rent increase
exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent increase exemption (DRIE)

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to change the formula applicable to New York
City that sets a tenant's portion of rent under the SCRIE and DRIE
programs to ensure that the maximum rent a tenant is responsible to pay
does not exceed one-third of their household income.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:.

The bill amends section 467-b subdivision 4 of the real property tax law
by adding a new paragraph c that prescribes the framework for the local
administration of the SCRIE and DRIE programs to ensure that a partic-

ipating tenant's portion of rent does not exceed one third of household
income.

It also adds language to subdivision (a) of section 26-605 of the Admin-
istrative Code of the City of New York to codify that the amount of the
maximum rent or legal regulated rent under the SCRIE and DRIE programs
cannot exceed one third of household income. The bill repeals sections
of current law that prescribes the former method of allocating SCRIE and
DRIE awards.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The SCRIE (Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption) and DRIE (Disabled
Rent Increase Exemption) programs serve seniors or people with disabili-
ties whose household income is no more than $50,000 a year, live in a
rent-regulated apartment, and pay more than one-third of their income in
rent, by freezing tenants' rent at the rent they paid when they entered
the program. While these programs have helped keep thousands of seniors
and people with disabilities in their homes, many tenants in SCRIE and
DRIE are still severely rent-burdened, and struggle to get by in the
face of decades of rent and price increases without a corresponding
increase in retirement and social security benefits.

According to a 2016 study by LiveOn New York, 60% of seniors who are
enrolled in the SCRIE program pay over 50% of their income in rent,
which leads to many having to skip meals in order to pay their rent and
stay in their homes. Limiting SCRIE and DRIE tenants' rents to one-third
of their income would provide a great relief to some of the neediest New
Yorkers, who would now be paying the same share of their income in rent
as people in other low-income housing programs. Capping rents at one-
third of tenants' income would help ensure that SCRIE and DRIE tenants
will be able to live with dignity and security.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S569 (Kavanagh) - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE /A2974
(O'Donnell) referred to aging
2023: S569 (Kavanagh) - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE /A2974
(O'Donnell) referred to aging

2022: S2806 (Kavanagh) REFERRED TO AGING /A4433 (O'Donnell) - referred
to aging

2021: S2806 (Kavanagh) - REFERRED TO AGING /A4433 (O'Donnell) - referred
to aging

2020: S7754 (Kavanagh) - REFERRED TO AGAING /A8749 - referred to aging

2018: S7057 (Golden) - ADVANCED TO A THIRD READING - referred to aging

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments to
section 26-509 of chapter 4 of title 26 of the administrative code of
the city of New York made by section four of this act shall expire on
the same date as such law expires and shall not affect the expiration of
such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law.

2025-S2451 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2451
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KAVANAGH,  ADDABBO,  SEPULVEDA  -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Aging
 
 AN ACT to amend the real property tax law and the administrative code of
   the  city  of  New York, in relation to establishing a maximum rent of
   one-third of household income for the senior  citizens  rent  increase
   exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent increase exemption (DRIE)
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "senior citizens rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent
 increase exemption (DRIE) rollback act".
   §  2.  Subdivision  4 of section 467-b of the real property tax law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph c to read as follows:
   C. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IN A CITY OF A POPULATION OF ONE MILLION OR
 MORE, A TAX ABATEMENT CERTIFICATE SETTING FORTH AN AMOUNT EQUAL  TO  THE
 AMOUNT  BY  WHICH THE MAXIMUM RENT OR LEGAL REGULATED RENT OF THE SUBSE-
 QUENT DWELLING UNIT EXCEEDS ONE-THIRD OF  THE  COMBINED  INCOME  OF  ALL
 MEMBERS  OF THE HOUSEHOLD FOR THE TAXABLE PERIOD SHALL BE ISSUED BY SAID
 AGENCY TO EACH HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD WHO IS FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE UNDER  THIS
 SECTION  AND  UPON APPLICATION TO THE APPROPRIATE RENT CONTROL AGENCY OR
 ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY ON A FORM PRESCRIBED BY SAID AGENCY ON  OR  BEFORE
 THE  LAST  DATE  PRESCRIBED  BY  LAW FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE TAXES OR THE
 FIRST INSTALLMENT THEREFOR OF ANY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION WHICH HAS GRANT-
 ED AN ABATEMENT OF TAXES. COPIES OF SUCH CERTIFICATE SHALL BE ISSUED  TO
 THE  OWNER OF THE REAL PROPERTY CONTAINING THE DWELLING UNIT OF THE HEAD
 OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND TO THE COLLECTING OFFICER CHARGED WITH THE DUTY  OF
 COLLECTING THE TAXES OR EACH MUNICIPAL CORPORATION WHICH HAS GRANTED THE
 ABATEMENT OF TAXES AUTHORIZED BY THIS SECTION.
   §  3.  Subdivision (a) of section 26-605 of the administrative code of
 the city of New York, as amended by local law number 98 of the  city  of
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00073-01-5

 S. 2451                             2
 
 New  York  for  the year 1985 and paragraph 3 as added by chapter 553 of
 the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Subject to the provisions of this chapter an eligible head of the
 household may obtain  a  rent  increase  exemption  order/tax  abatement
 certificate  entitling  [him  or  her]  SUCH HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD to an
 exemption from increases in the maximum rent  EQUAL  TO  THE  AMOUNT  BY
 WHICH  THE MAXIMUM RENT OR LEGAL REGULATED RENT OF THE SUBSEQUENT DWELL-
 ING UNIT EXCEEDS ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED INCOME OF ALL MEMBERS OF  THE
 HOUSEHOLD otherwise payable in one of the following amounts:
   (1) where the eligible head of the household does not receive a month-
 ly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, the amount
 by  which  increases  in  the  maximum  rent subsequent to such persons'
 eligibility date have resulted in the maximum rent  exceeding  one-third
 of  the  combined income of all members of the household for the taxable
 period, except that in no event shall a rent  increase  exemption  order
 tax abatement certificate become effective prior to January first, nine-
 teen hundred seventy-six; or
   (2) where the eligible head of the household receives a monthly allow-
 ance  for  shelter  pursuant  to  the social services law, an amount not
 exceeding that portion of any increase in  maximum  rent  subsequent  to
 such  person's  eligibility  date  which  is  not covered by the maximum
 allowance for shelter which such person is entitled to receive  pursuant
 to the social services law.
   [(3)  notwithstanding  paragraph  one  of  this subdivision, where the
 eligible head of the household is a person who  qualifies  as  a  person
 with a disability pursuant to section 26-617 of this chapter and who has
 been  granted  a  rent  increase exemption order that is in effect as of
 January first, two thousand fifteen or takes effect on  or  before  July
 first,  two  thousand  fifteen,  the  amount specified in such order, as
 adjusted by any other provision of this chapter, regardless  of  whether
 increases  in  the  maximum rent subsequent to such persons' eligibility
 date have resulted in  the  maximum  rent  exceeding  one-third  of  the
 combined income of all members of the household for the taxable period.]
   §  4.  Item (a) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph 3 of subdivision b of
 section 26-509 of the administrative code of the city of  New  York,  as
 amended  by  local  law  number  98 of the city of New York for the year
 1985, is amended to read as follows:
   (a) in the case of a head of the household  who  does  not  receive  a
 monthly  allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, that
 the landlord may not collect from the tenant to whom it is  issued  rent
 at  a  rate  in excess of [either] one-third of the aggregate disposable
 income[, or the rent in effect  immediately  preceding  the  eligibility
 date, whichever is greater]; or
   §  5. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amend-
 ments to section 26-509 of chapter 4 of title 26 of  the  administrative
 code  of  the  city  of  New York made by section four of this act shall
 expire on the same date as such law expires and  shall  not  affect  the
 expiration of such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law.

co-Sponsors

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Aging
Law Section:: Real Property Tax Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §467-b, RPT L; amd §§26-605 & 26-509, NYC Ad Cd
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S7057
2019-2020: S7754
2021-2022: S2806
2023-2024: S569

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to establishing a maximum rent of one-third of household income for the senior citizens rent increase exemption and disability rent increase exemption.

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2451A

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property tax law and the administrative code of
the city of New York, in relation to establishing a maximum rent of
one-third of household income for the senior citizens rent increase
exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent increase exemption (DRIE)

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to authorize, at a locality's opt in via
local action, the setting of the portion of rent a tenant is responsible
to pay under the SCRIE and DRIE programs to no more than one-third of
their householdò income.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The bill amends section 467-b subdivision 4 of the real property tax law
by adding a new paragraph c that prescribes the framework for the local
administration of the SCRIE and DRIE programs to ensure that a partic-

ipating tenant's portion of rent does not exceed one third of household
income.

It also adds language to subdivision (a) of section 26-605 of the Admin-
istrative Code of the City of New York to codify, pursuant to local
action, that the amount of the maximum rent or legal regulated rent
under the SCRIE and DRIE programs cannot exceed one third of household
income. The bill repeals sections of current law that prescribes the
former method of allocating SCRIE and DRIE awards.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The SCRIE (Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption) and DRIE (Disabled
Rent Increase Exemption) programs serve seniors or people with disabili-
ties whose household income is no more than $50,000 a year, live in a
rent-regulated apartment, and pay more than one-third of their income in
rent, by freezing tenants' rent at the rent they paid when they entered
the program. While these programs have helped keep thousands of seniors
and people with disabilities in their homes, many tenants in SCRIE and
DRIE are still severely rent-burdened, and struggle to get by in the
face of decades of rent and price increases without a corresponding
increase in retirement and social security benefits.

This bill would provide localities the option to limit the rent that a
tenant is responsible to pay under the SCRIE and DRIE programs to one-
third of their household income. This would provide a great relief to
some of the neediest New Yorkers -- according to a 2016 study by LiveOn
New York, 60% of seniors who are enrolled in the SCRIE program pay over
50% of their income in rent, which leads to many having to skip meals in
order to pay their rent and stay in their homes. Capping rents at one-
third of tenants' income would help ensure that SCRIE and DRIE tenants
will be able to live with dignity and security.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S569 (Kavanagh) - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE /A2974
(O'Donnell) referred to aging
2023: S569 (Kavanagh) - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE /A2974
(O'Donnell) - referred to aging

2022: S2806 aging (Kavanagh) - REFERRED TO AGING /A4433 (O'Donnell) -
referred to aging

2021: S2806 aging (Kavanagh) - REFERRED TO AGING /A4433 (O'Donnell) -
referred to aging

2020: S7754 aging (Kavanagh) - REFERRED TO AGING /A8749 (O'Donnell) -
referred to aging

2018: S7057 (Golden) - ADVANCED TO THIRD READING /A8424 (Abbate) -
referred toaging aging

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments to
section 26-509 of chapter 4 of title 26 of the administrative code of
the city of New York made by section four of this act shall expire on
the same date as such law expires and shall not affect the expiration of
such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law.

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  2451--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KAVANAGH,  ADDABBO,  SEPULVEDA  -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Aging  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the real property tax law and the administrative code of
   the city of New York, in relation to establishing a  maximum  rent  of
   one-third  of  household  income for the senior citizens rent increase
   exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent increase exemption (DRIE)
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "senior citizens rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent
 increase exemption (DRIE) rollback act".
   § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 467-b of the real property  tax  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph c to read as follows:
   C.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IF PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL LAW, ORDINANCE OR
 RESOLUTION ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, A TAX ABATEMENT CERTIFICATE
 SETTING FORTH AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT BY WHICH THE MAXIMUM RENT OR
 LEGAL REGULATED RENT OF THE SUBSEQUENT DWELLING UNIT  EXCEEDS  ONE-THIRD
 OF  THE  COMBINED INCOME OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD FOR THE TAXABLE
 PERIOD SHALL BE ISSUED BY SAID AGENCY TO EACH HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD  WHO  IS
 FOUND  TO  BE  ELIGIBLE  UNDER  THIS SECTION AND UPON APPLICATION TO THE
 APPROPRIATE RENT CONTROL AGENCY  OR  ADMINISTRATIVE  AGENCY  ON  A  FORM
 PRESCRIBED  BY  SAID AGENCY ON OR BEFORE THE LAST DATE PRESCRIBED BY LAW
 FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE TAXES OR THE FIRST INSTALLMENT  THEREFOR  OF  ANY
 MUNICIPAL CORPORATION WHICH HAS GRANTED AN ABATEMENT OF TAXES. COPIES OF
 SUCH  CERTIFICATE  SHALL  BE  ISSUED  TO  THE OWNER OF THE REAL PROPERTY
 CONTAINING THE DWELLING UNIT OF THE HEAD OF THE  HOUSEHOLD  AND  TO  THE
 COLLECTING OFFICER CHARGED WITH THE DUTY OF COLLECTING THE TAXES OR EACH
 MUNICIPAL  CORPORATION  WHICH HAS GRANTED THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES AUTHOR-
 IZED BY THIS SECTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00073-04-5

 S. 2451--A                          2
 
   § 3. Subdivision (a) of section 26-605 of the administrative  code  of
 the  city  of New York, as amended by local law number 98 of the city of
 New York for the year 1985 and paragraph 3 as added by  chapter  553  of
 the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Subject  to the provisions of this chapter AND IF PROVIDED BY THE
 LOCAL LAW, ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,  an
 eligible  head  of  the  household  may obtain a rent increase exemption
 order/tax abatement certificate entitling [him or her] SUCH HEAD OF  THE
 HOUSEHOLD  to  an  exemption from increases in the maximum rent EQUAL TO
 THE AMOUNT BY WHICH THE MAXIMUM RENT OR  LEGAL  REGULATED  RENT  OF  THE
 SUBSEQUENT DWELLING UNIT EXCEEDS ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED INCOME OF ALL
 MEMBERS  OF  THE  HOUSEHOLD  otherwise  payable  in one of the following
 amounts:
   (1) where the eligible head of the household does not receive a month-
 ly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law, the amount
 by which increases in the  maximum  rent  subsequent  to  such  persons'
 eligibility  date  have resulted in the maximum rent exceeding one-third
 of the combined income of all members of the household for  the  taxable
 period,  except  that  in no event shall a rent increase exemption order
 tax abatement certificate become effective prior to January first, nine-
 teen hundred seventy-six; or
   (2) where the eligible head of the household receives a monthly allow-
 ance for shelter pursuant to the social  services  law,  an  amount  not
 exceeding  that  portion  of  any increase in maximum rent subsequent to
 such person's eligibility date which  is  not  covered  by  the  maximum
 allowance  for shelter which such person is entitled to receive pursuant
 to the social services law.
   [(3) notwithstanding paragraph one  of  this  subdivision,  where  the
 eligible  head  of  the  household is a person who qualifies as a person
 with a disability pursuant to section 26-617 of this chapter and who has
 been granted a rent increase exemption order that is  in  effect  as  of
 January  first,  two  thousand fifteen or takes effect on or before July
 first, two thousand fifteen, the amount  specified  in  such  order,  as
 adjusted  by  any other provision of this chapter, regardless of whether
 increases in the maximum rent subsequent to  such  persons'  eligibility
 date  have  resulted  in  the  maximum  rent  exceeding one-third of the
 combined income of all members of the household for the taxable period.]
   § 4. Item (a) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph 3 of subdivision  b  of
 section  26-509  of  the administrative code of the city of New York, as
 amended by local law number 98 of the city of  New  York  for  the  year
 1985, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  in  the  case  of  a head of the household who does not receive a
 monthly allowance for shelter pursuant to the social services law,  that
 the  landlord  may not collect from the tenant to whom it is issued rent
 at a rate in excess of [either] one-third of  the  aggregate  disposable
 income[,  or  the  rent  in effect immediately preceding the eligibility
 date, whichever is greater]; or
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the  amend-
 ments  to  section 26-509 of chapter 4 of title 26 of the administrative
 code of the city of New York made by section  four  of  this  act  shall
 expire  on  the  same  date as such law expires and shall not affect the
 expiration of such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law.

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Senate Bill S2451A

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Sponsored By

Brian Kavanagh

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Aging Committee

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Luis R. Sepúlveda

2025-S2451 - Details

2025-S2451 - Summary

2025-S2451 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2451 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Luis R. Sepúlveda

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2451A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments