SCRIE and DRIE are the two halves of New York City's Rent Freeze Program. SCRIE — the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption — freezes the rent of eligible tenants aged 62 and over. DRIE — the Disability Rent Increase Exemption — does the same for eligible tenants aged 18 and over who receive a qualifying disability benefit. In both cases the tenant's rent stops rising, and the landlord is compensated with a credit against the building's property taxes.
What "frozen" means here
It is a genuine freeze, not a discount. The rent is fixed at the amount you were paying when you were approved. Future increases that would otherwise apply — including the annual increases set by the Rent Guidelines Board — still exist on paper and are still owed on the apartment, but they are not owed by you. The landlord recovers them through a property tax abatement credit instead. Nobody loses money and nobody is doing anyone a favour; it is a transfer routed through the tax system.
Who qualifies
| SCRIE | DRIE | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 62 or over | 18 or over |
| Household income | $50,000 or less | $50,000 or less |
| Rent burden | More than one third of household income | More than one third of household income |
| Apartment | Rent controlled, regulated or stabilized | Rent controlled, regulated, stabilized, or an SRO |
| Named on the lease | Yes | Yes |
| Extra requirement | — | Must receive a qualifying disability benefit |
The income figure is the combined income of everyone in the household, not the applicant's alone. For DRIE, the qualifying benefits include federal Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, a US Department of Veterans Affairs disability pension or compensation, a US Postal Service disability pension or compensation, or disability-related Medicaid where the applicant previously received SSI or SSDI. Certain Battery Park City and former Mitchell-Lama apartments can also qualify for SCRIE.
The requirement people miss
It is the one-third rule. Being 62 and under the income limit is not enough on its own — you must also be spending more than a third of your household income on rent. That is what the programme is aimed at: the gap between a fixed income and a rising regulated rent. If your rent is comfortably under a third of your income, you are not the person the programme was designed for, however well you meet the other tests.
Applying, and renewing
Applications go to the city's Rent Freeze Program, run by the Department of Finance, and benefits must be renewed — a freeze is not permanent once granted. Two things worth knowing: the benefit generally does not backdate far, so applying promptly matters, and an approved tenant who moves within the city may in some circumstances be able to carry a portion of the benefit to a new regulated apartment. The programme's own office is the right place to confirm either point for your situation.
Why it sits in a building glossary
Eligibility depends on the apartment being rent regulated, which depends on facts about the building — its age, its size, and whether it holds a tax benefit such as 421-a or J-51. Those are public records; see am I rent stabilized? and 421-a and J-51 explained. Check a Building shows the year built, unit count and tax-benefit flags an apartment's regulatory status usually turns on.
Sources: NYC Rent Freeze Program — Qualifications, and NYC Department of Finance rent freeze guidance. Programme rules and income limits are set by the city and state and can change; confirm current eligibility with the Rent Freeze Program before relying on these figures. General information, not legal or benefits advice.