Tenant Power Summer
Tenants won a rent freeze. It's time to get organized so we can win the homes we deserve.
Tenants make up half of New York State and are the majority in nearly every municipality. From Brooklyn to Buffalo, we are organizing to make rent affordable and crack down on bad landlords by expanding and strengthening rent stabilization and social housing.
Last year, tenants across New York City came together and elected a mayor who made freezing the rent for 2.4 million people a key pillar of his platform and now the Rent Guidelines Board has approved a historic two year rent freeze. The Rent Freeze goes into effect October 1, but to make it meaningful for tenants we have to get organized. Join the Tenant Bloc to help spread the word about the rent freeze, learn how to implement it in your building, and get organized with your neighbors to win better conditions and investment in our homes!
Here's more info about how the rent freeze works, if you don't see the answer to your question, email us at info@tenantbloc.org.
Does the rent freeze apply to everyone? How do I know if I'm eligible?
The rent freeze applies to all rent-stabilized tenants whose leases start after October 1st of this year! To check if you are rent stabilized, head to https://amirentstabilized.com/
If you're not rent-stabilized, you're likely protected by Good Cause Eviction! You can check that out at https://goodcausenyc.org/en/
If I already signed my lease with a rent increase, can I still get the rent freeze?
Yes! The Rent Freeze takes effect for all leases signed after October 1, 2026. So if you signed a lease earlier in 2026, you will get the rent freeze when you sign your next lease. We recommend signing a two year lease so that you can rest easy knowing you won't get a rent hike for two years.
What can I do if my landlord offers me a lease with a rent increase but I am rent stabilized?
First, check when the new lease goes into effect! If it is before October 1, 2026, the lease is subject to Eric Adams' RGB's final rent increase and there is no freeze. We recommend that you consider the one year option so you can take advantage of the rent freeze next year!
If your new lease goes into effect after October 1, 2026, we recommend that you either 1) cross out the increase and put in the proper rent amount 2) sign the lease as is but tell the landlord that the increase is a rent overcharge and pay the correct amount. We also recommend that you fill out and submit this form, check box 4, and write that the offered lease does not include the proper rental adjustment.
I'm rent stabilized; should I sign a one or two year lease?
You should sign a two year lease! Tenants across the city organized and won the first-ever multi-year rent freeze, which means stability for 2.4 million New Yorkers! Rent-stabilized leases signed between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027 will be frozen, which means your rent could be potentially frozen until 2029 depending on when you sign!
I'm not rent stabilized, what can I do if I get a big rent hike?
If you are not rent stabilized, you may still be eligible for protection from unfair rent hikes under Good Cause Eviction. First see if your unit is covered at GoodCauseNYC.org. If you are covered and your rent hike was over 9%, you can tell your landlord its too high and that you have Good Cause protections. You can negotiate or withhold the increase and keep paying your usual rent, but be prepared to get taken to court and invoke your Good Cause rights. Read more about how to use Good Cause at: https://housingjusticeforall.org/kyr-good-cause/