New York Senate Bill S02451

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/25
• Refer: 1/17/25
• Report Pass: 3/4/25
• Refer: 1/7/26
• Report Pass: 2/4/26

Caption

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

Summary

S02451 would amend New York’s real property tax law and the New York City administrative code to change how the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) are calculated. The bill’s central change is to establish a maximum rent threshold of one-third of household income for eligible senior and disabled households, so that rent increases above that level would be exempted through the program. It also revises related language in the city code to align the rent increase exemption and tax abatement framework with that one-third-of-income standard. In practical terms, the bill is intended to strengthen rent protections for low-income seniors and people with disabilities by limiting the rent burden they can be required to pay under SCRIE and DRIE. The measure applies to the state statute governing rent tax abatements and to New York City provisions that implement the exemption, and it preserves the existing structure of certificates issued to tenants, landlords, and tax collectors. The bill takes effect immediately, with a technical sunset tied to the underlying city law.

Impact

The bill would amend section 467-b of the Real Property Tax Law and sections 26-605 and 26-509 of the New York City Administrative Code, changing the rent cap standard used for SCRIE and DRIE from the prior framework to a one-third-of-income benchmark. This would affect eligible senior citizens and people with disabilities who receive rent increase exemptions, as well as landlords and municipal tax administrators who issue and process tax abatement certificates. It would also modify how New York City’s rent exemption rules interact with the city’s existing rent regulation and tax abatement provisions.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support in committee, with unanimous Senate Aging Committee votes of 7-0 and 6-0 on the bill at different stages. That suggests the measure was viewed favorably as a tenant-protection and affordability bill, especially for older adults and people with disabilities. No committee transcript is provided, so there is no recorded floor or hearing debate to indicate broader opposition or amendments beyond the bill text itself.

Contention

The main policy issue in the bill is the affordability standard it imposes: supporters are likely to favor the one-third-of-income cap as a stronger protection for vulnerable tenants, while potential critics could argue that it increases the cost or administrative burden of the exemption program for landlords and local governments. The bill also narrows or replaces prior language that allowed different treatment in some cases, which may matter to stakeholders accustomed to the existing SCRIE/DRIE calculation rules. Because no transcript is available, no specific objections were recorded in the provided materials.