Provides retroactivity to the original date of eligibility in certain cases for the senior citizens rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disability rent…

• Democratic3

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed

The SCRIE program was established in 1970 to provide rent exemptions to senior citizens impacted by rent increases. Under the SCRIE program, eligible applicants age 62 and older have their rent frozen on the first day of the month following the filing of their original application. The SCRIE program also reimburses landlords with real property tax credits equal to the amount in forgone rent. Likewise, the DRIE program provides an exemption against future rent increases for eligible disabled persons living in rent-controlled, rent-stabilized, Mitchell-Lama and other eligible apartments, beginning on the first of the month following approval of the DRIE application. Landlords of DRIE tenants will also be given tax credits to make up the difference between the frozen rent and what the DRIE tenants would be paying without the benefit. Under existing state law, municipalities have the option to provide SCRIE and DRIE benefits to individuals with household incomes of up to $50,000. In New York City in particular, rising living costs have brought forth rent increases in rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments, and rent regulated hotel units at a yearly rate of 3.75 percent for a one-year lease and 7.25 percent for a two-year lease. According to the New York City Department of Finance, 47,475 senior citizen renters were benefiting from the SCRIE program in 2012. Under current program standards, SCRIE and DRIE only begins to freeze rent on the first day of the month that an application is received regardless of how far past the date of original eligibility that the applicant is at the time of acceptance. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many senior citizens and individuals with a disability were past eligibility at the time of acceptance, but had continued to see their rent increase in the years prior to their enrollment into the program. To rectify this reoc- curring problem, this bill would make sure that applicants who enrolled in the SCRIE or DRIE programs after their original date of eligibility will receive.a rent reduction beginning with the first day that they became eligible for such benefits. The SCRIE and DRIE rollback would ensure that seniors and individuals with disabilities receive benefits that they were entitled to, even though they may have not been official- ly enrolled in the benefit programs during a period where they were otherwise eligible to apply for them.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.