City protections
New York City renter rules
The deepest tenant-protection system in the country - if you know which rules cover your unit.
Educational information, not legal advice - figures are general and laws change. How we keep this accurate & where to verify → · Spot an error? Tell us →
Rent stabilization
Roughly a million apartments are rent-stabilized: annual increases are set by the Rent Guidelines Board, and you have a right to lease renewal. Check your unit's status with NYS Homes and Community Renewal - many tenants don't know they're stabilized.
Good cause eviction
New York's good cause eviction law (2024) extends protections to many market-rate NYC tenants: landlords need a legal reason to evict or decline renewal, and unusually large rent increases can be challenged.
Right to counsel
Low-income tenants facing eviction in housing court have a right to a free lawyer - use it. Represented tenants win dramatically more often.
The state layer underneath
City rules sit on top of New York state law - deposits, entry notice, and eviction process still come from the state.