SCRIE, DRIE, and SCHE Explained: How New York Seniors Can Freeze Their Rent or Cut Their Property Tax

If you’re a New Yorker aged 62 or older — or you live with a disability — there’s a good chance you qualify for a benefit you haven’t claimed yet. The city offers three programs that can either freeze your rent in place or slash your property tax bill by up to 50 percent. They’re called SCRIE, DRIE, and SCHE, and most people who qualify for them don’t know all three exist.

This guide walks through each program in plain English: who qualifies, what paperwork you need, where to send it, and what phone number to call if you get stuck.

SCRIE: The Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption

SCRIE is the city’s rent freeze for senior tenants. Once you’re enrolled, your rent is locked at whatever it was when you were approved. If your landlord raises the rent — which landlords of stabilized apartments are allowed to do each year — you keep paying the old amount. The city makes up the difference by giving your landlord a property tax credit.

This isn’t charity. It doesn’t affect your lease. Your landlord can’t refuse to accept the locked rent or retaliate because you applied. Under New York City Admin Code § 26-509 (for rent-stabilized apartments) and related provisions for rent-controlled and Mitchell-Lama buildings, the exemption is a legal right once granted.

Who qualifies for SCRIE

To be eligible, you need to answer yes to all of the following:

• You are 62 or older
• Your name is on the lease (or the share certificate if you live in a Mitchell-Lama development)
• All household members’ combined income is $50,000 or less per year
• You spend more than one-third of your monthly household income on rent
• You live in one of these housing types: rent-stabilized apartment, rent-controlled apartment, rent-regulated hotel or single-room occupancy unit, Mitchell-Lama development, Limited Dividend Housing Company development, Redevelopment Company development, or Housing Development Fund Company (HDFC) cooperative development

You are not required to file taxes to qualify. Your immigration status is not considered. You do not need your landlord’s permission to apply.

What “combined household income” means

The city counts the gross income of every person who lived in your apartment during the year before you apply — including Social Security, pension payments, investment income, and any wages. It does not count certain one-time payments like inheritances. If you’re unsure what counts, the Department of Finance offers a virtual appointment to walk through it with you before you submit anything.

How to apply for SCRIE

There are three ways to apply:

1. Online: Apply through the Department of Finance Tenant Access Portal (TAP) at nyc.gov/rentfreeze. This is the fastest option for first-time applicants.
2. By mail: Download the application from nyc.gov or call 311 to request a paper copy. Mail your completed application with supporting documents to: Rent Freeze Program – SCRIE, P.O. Box 3179, Union, NJ 07083.
3. In person: Visit any Department of Finance Assistance Center (an appointment may be required).

If you live in an HPD-supervised building (certain Mitchell-Lama and Redevelopment Company developments), you use a different form — the HPD SCRIE application — and email it to SCRIE@hpd.nyc.gov or mail it to HPD SCRIE Unit, 100 Gold Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10038.

Documents you’ll need

• Proof of identity and age (passport, birth certificate, or government-issued ID)
• Proof of your current lease and rent amount (prior and current leases or rent receipts)
• Income documentation for all household members who lived with you in the previous year

Renewing SCRIE

SCRIE doesn’t renew itself. The city will mail you a renewal notice, but if you miss it, your frozen rent protection can lapse and you’ll have to start over. Set a reminder. If you miss a renewal cycle, you can reapply, but you may face a gap period where increases apply.

Phone: Call 311 and ask for SCRIE.
TTY (hard of hearing): 212-639-9675
HPD SCRIE line: 212-863-8494
Application assistance: 929-252-7242 (NYC Public Engagement Unit)

DRIE: The Disability Rent Increase Exemption

DRIE is the companion program to SCRIE for people with disabilities. It works exactly the same way — your rent is frozen, your landlord gets a tax credit for the difference — but the age requirement is different and you must receive a qualifying disability benefit to be eligible.

DRIE is authorized under New York City Admin Code § 26-509.1 and applies to the same types of rent-regulated housing as SCRIE.

Who qualifies for DRIE

• You are 18 or older (no upper age limit)
• Your name is on the lease
• All household members’ combined income is $50,000 or less per year
• You spend more than one-third of your monthly income on rent
• You live in rent-stabilized, rent-controlled, Mitchell-Lama, Limited Dividend, HDFC cooperative, Section 213 cooperative, or rent-regulated hotel/SRO housing
• You currently receive one of these disability benefits: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a Veterans Affairs (VA) disability pension or compensation, or disability-related Medicaid

Immigration status is not asked about or considered. You do not need to file taxes to qualify.

How to apply for DRIE

The application process mirrors SCRIE exactly:

1. Online: Apply through the NYC Tenant Access Portal at nyc.gov/rentfreeze.
2. By mail: Print an application (available in multiple languages) or call 311 to request one. Mail to: Rent Freeze Program – DRIE, P.O. Box 3179, Union, NJ 07083.
3. In person: At a Department of Finance Assistance Center.

Documents you’ll need for DRIE

• Government-issued photo ID (passport, driver’s license, or state ID)
• Current lease and recent rent receipt or payment confirmation
• Last year’s tax return, W-2s, pay stubs, and benefit letters for all household members
• Your disability award letter (from SSA for SSI/SSDI, from VA, or Medicaid approval letter)

Renew DRIE each year to keep your rent frozen. Miss the renewal, and your protection can lapse.

Phone: Call 311 and ask for DRIE.
TTY: 212-639-9675
Application assistance: 929-252-7242

SCHE: The Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption

SCRIE and DRIE help renters. SCHE helps owners. If you own a one-, two-, or three-family home, a condominium, or a cooperative apartment in New York City, and you’re 65 or older, SCHE can reduce your property tax bill by anywhere from 5 percent to 50 percent depending on your income.

SCHE is authorized under New York Real Property Tax Law (RPTL) § 467.

Who qualifies for SCHE

• You are 65 or older (if you own the property with a spouse or sibling, only one of you needs to be 65+)
• Your combined annual income from all sources is $58,399 or less for the last calendar year
• The property is your primary residence
• You own a one-, two-, or three-family home, condominium, or cooperative apartment

How much does SCHE save you?

The exemption reduces the assessed value of your property for tax purposes, which in turn reduces your bill. The reduction ranges from 5 percent (for incomes close to the $58,399 limit) to 50 percent (for incomes of $29,000 or less). The city calculates the exact tier automatically based on the income figure you report. Even a 10 or 15 percent reduction on a New York City property tax bill can mean hundreds or thousands of dollars saved each year.

How to apply for SCHE

The online application opens September 15 and closes March 15. You must apply or renew by March 15 to receive the benefit starting July 1 of that year — the start of the city’s fiscal year.

First-time applicants can apply online through the NYC Department of Finance portal at nyc.gov/finance. You can also apply by mail — contact 311 for a paper application. Applications are also accepted in person at a Department of Finance Assistance Center.

Renewing SCHE

Unlike SCRIE and DRIE, SCHE renews every two years, not every year. The city will send a renewal notice, but it’s your responsibility to respond. If you miss a renewal cycle, you may lose the exemption for that tax year.

Phone: Call 311 and ask for SCHE.
DOF email: Available via nyc.gov/finance contact form

Can you get more than one of these benefits at the same time?

Yes — with some nuance.

SCRIE and DRIE are for renters; SCHE is for owners. If you rent and you are 62 or older with a qualifying disability, you may be able to receive both SCRIE and DRIE — though in practice you typically receive whichever benefit gives you the greater freeze. The Department of Finance determines which applies. If you’re a senior who owns their home, SCHE is your program.

Why these programs go unclaimed

The NYC Comptroller’s office has published findings noting that many eligible seniors never apply for these programs. The most common reasons: people assume their landlord or building manager would have told them (they won’t, and they have no obligation to), people think the income limits are lower than they actually are, or people are intimidated by the paperwork.

The actual application process is straightforward. The income threshold for SCRIE and DRIE is $50,000 — a figure that includes Social Security and pension income, which means many fixed-income seniors qualify even if they wouldn’t describe themselves as low-income. The SCHE threshold of $58,399 covers a wide range of retirees who own modest homes.

If you’re on the fence, call 311 and ask specifically about the Rent Freeze Program or SCHE. There’s no penalty for applying and being denied, and the application assistance line (929-252-7242) offers one-on-one help at no cost.

Quick reference: key contacts and application addresses

Mail address for SCRIE and DRIE applications: P.O. Box 3179, Union, NJ 07083
HPD SCRIE (certain developments): SCRIE@hpd.nyc.gov or 100 Gold Street, 7th Floor, NY 10038
TTY line: 212-639-9675
HPD SCRIE phone: 212-863-8494
Application help line: 929-252-7242

Tax advice in this article is informational. Consult a tax professional or NYC Department of Finance for your specific situation.

Sources: NYC Department of Finance (nyc.gov/site/finance/property/landlords-scrie.page; nyc.gov/site/finance/property/landlords-sche.page); ACCESS NYC (SCRIE; DRIE); NYC 311 (SCHE). SCRIE page last updated Feb 18, 2025; DRIE page last updated May 11, 2026.