Seawright: Expand Rent Freeze Protections for Seniors and People with Disabilities

As Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Aging, I am dedicated to fighting for the dignity and security of our older adults and individuals with disabilities. In my district on the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, I have witnessed firsthand how skyrocketing rents threaten to uproot lifelong New Yorkers from the communities they have built.

That is why I host rent freeze clinics right in my York Avenue district office, helping constituents navigate programs like the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE). These sessions are not just about paperwork, they are lifelines, freezing rents and allowing people to age-in-place without the fear of displacement.

But these vital programs, which have helped tens of thousands stay in their homes, are long overdue for an update. For over a decade, the income eligibility threshold has remained stuck at $50,000, even as the cost of living in New York City has soared. Rents have climbed relentlessly, food prices have spiked, and many seniors, nearly 1.5 million of whom call our city home, face economic insecurity that jeopardizes their health and independence. Almost three in five residents over age 70 lack stable retirement income, and a similar share of older renters are rent-burdened, spending more than they can afford on housing.

Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent State of the State proposal to raise the SCRIE and DRIE income cap to $75,000 is a critical step forward, one I have strongly supported as a cosponsor of related legislation. This change reflects the real economic pressures facing New Yorkers and could help thousands more avoid homelessness or institutionalization. Yet we must go further. That’s why, alongside Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh, Senate Aging Chair Cordell Cleare, Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, and advocates from groups like AARP New York and the Center for Independence of the Disabled, I joined a press conference in Albany on February 3 to push for even bolder enhancements.

Our package of bills would not only adopt the Governor’s $75,000 threshold for renters but extend it to homeowners through the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE) and Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (DHE) programs, something the Executive Budget missed. These property tax abatements are essential for those who own their homes but struggle with rising costs. We also need to streamline enrollment, making these programs easier to access. In New York City alone, more than 158,000 households are estimated to be eligible for SCRIE and DRIE, but only about 67,000 are enrolled. That leaves over 90,000 vulnerable families without the support they deserve, often because of outdated rules, bureaucratic hurdles, or fear of retaliation from landlords.

Just last month, I hosted a senior services forum at the Carter Burden Network, where I heard directly from older New Yorkers about these challenges. Joined by Greg Olsen, Acting Director of the New York State Office for the Aging, and representatives from the New York City Department for the Aging and others, we discussed not only housing security but also fraud prevention and essential services like home modifications and caregiver support. As I said then, we need to match the pride we feel for the numerous contributions of older adults to New York State with the high-quality services they so urgently deserve.

Expanding these programs isn’t just good policy, it is a moral imperative. Seniors and people with disabilities built this city, and they shouldn’t be forced out by unaffordable housing. With the state budget due by March 31, now is the time for lawmakers to act. I urge my colleagues in Albany to pass this legislation, ensuring that more New Yorkers can live independently and with dignity. If you or someone you know may qualify, reach out to my district office on York Avenue between East 78th and 79th Streets, call 212.288.4607 or email SeawrightR@NYAssembly.gov. We are here to help with enrollment in rent freeze programs, property tax exemptions, and more. Please consider your community office a resource!