How much your rent can rise in New York City depends on which of three systems covers your apartment: rent stabilization, the state’s Good Cause Eviction law, or neither. In 2026 the gap between those systems is unusually wide. Rent stabilized tenants signing one or two year leases that begin between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027 face a rent freeze, while many market rate tenants face no cap at all (Brick Underground).
With roughly two in three occupied homes in the city rented and a median gross rent of $1,821 over 2020 to 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, New York City), knowing which system applies to you is the first step in responding to any increase.
Homzora is a housing research publisher, not a law firm. This article explains New York law in plain English and is not legal advice for your situation.
Quick answers
- Stabilized leases starting October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027: 0 percent for one and two year terms (Brick Underground).
- Good Cause units: increases above the lower of 5 percent plus CPI or 10 percent are presumptively unreasonable.
- Unregulated units: 30, 60, or 90 days of written notice for increases of 5 percent or more (RPL § 226-c).
System 1: rent stabilized apartments
The 2026 rent freeze
On June 25, 2026, the Rent Guidelines Board voted 7 to 1 to set a 0 percent increase for both one year and two year leases for rent stabilized apartments, covering new leases and renewals beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The vote affects nearly one million rent stabilized apartments and was the first freeze ever applied to two year leases (Brick Underground). The Mayor’s Office described the result as a freeze on one year leases and the first ever freeze on two year leases (NYC Mayor’s Office).
What the freeze means for your renewal
If your stabilized lease renewal begins in that window, the guideline increase for a one year or two year renewal is 0 percent. Check the lease start date on your renewal form carefully: leases that began before October 1, 2026 were governed by the prior year’s guidelines. The official orders and guideline history are published by the Rent Guidelines Board (NYC Rent Guidelines Board).
System 2: Good Cause Eviction
New York’s Good Cause Eviction law took effect April 20, 2024, and protects many tenants in unregulated, market rate apartments in New York City (NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit).
The local rent standard
Under the law, a rent increase is presumptively unreasonable if it exceeds the lower of 5 percent plus the local Consumer Price Index change, or 10 percent. The presumption can be rebutted: a landlord may justify a higher increase with evidence such as major repairs or sharp increases in taxes or operating costs (Cornell Tenants Advocacy Program). Tenants can challenge increases above that standard in housing court (NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit).
For the August 2026 notice, New York State Homes and Community Renewal published an annual CPI change of 3.38 percent for New York City’s counties, which may be used to determine local rent standards for renewal leases covered by the law (HCR, Good Cause Eviction Law Notice, August 2026). Adding 5 percent gives 8.38 percent, below the 10 percent ceiling. That arithmetic is Homzora’s; confirm the standard that applies to your lease date with HCR or a tenant attorney.
Who is not covered
- Units owned by a small landlord who owns 10 or fewer units in New York State.
- Buildings with 10 or fewer apartments where the owner lives on site.
- Rent regulated units, NYCHA public housing, and other government restricted housing.
- Condos, co ops, hotel rooms, and manufactured homes.
- Homes in buildings with a certificate of occupancy on or after January 1, 2009, until 30 years after that date.
The list follows the city’s summary (NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit). HCR also notes that the law does not cover a unit rented for more than 245 percent of fair market rent (HCR).
System 3: market rate apartments without Good Cause coverage
For apartments outside both rent stabilization and Good Cause, there is no cap on increases (Cornell Tenants Advocacy Program). But the notice rules below still apply.
Notice rules for every unregulated tenant
Real Property Law Section 226-c requires written notice when a landlord intends to renew with a rent increase of 5 percent or more, or not to renew at all. The required notice depends on the longer of your occupancy or your lease term (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 226-c):
| Occupancy or lease term | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Less than one year, and no lease of at least one year | 30 days |
| At least one year but less than two | 60 days |
| Two years or more, or a lease of at least two years | 90 days |
If the landlord gives late notice, your tenancy continues on its existing terms from the date notice was actually given until the full notice period expires, regardless of any lease clause to the contrary (RPL § 226-c).
Checking your increase
- Find your system. Your lease, renewal form, or HCR’s rent history will tell you if the apartment is stabilized.
- Stabilized: confirm the lease start date and that the increase matches the guideline for that period, which is 0 percent for leases beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
- Good Cause: compare the increase with 5 percent plus the published CPI, capped at 10 percent.
- Notice: for increases of 5 percent or more on unregulated units, confirm the 30, 60, or 90 day notice was given.
If you cannot afford the increase
- Ask about a different lease length. Some landlords price longer terms lower to avoid turnover.
- Ask about a smaller unit in the same building or from the same owner.
- Look at the total monthly cost, including parking, utilities, and fees, not only base rent.
- Contact 211 to ask about rental assistance programs in New York City (211.org).
- Decide before your deadline, so you can give proper notice if you choose to move.
At New York City’s median gross rent of $1,821, a 5 percent increase adds about $91 a month, or about $1,093 a year. Comparing that annual figure with the cost of moving, including a new deposit and moving expenses, often clarifies the decision.
A renewal timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Four months before your lease ends | Find out which rules cover your unit and what notice your landlord owes you. |
| Three months before | Start collecting dated listings for comparable apartments. |
| When the offer arrives | Check the amount, the notice given, and every fee against your current lease. |
| Within a week | Send a specific written counteroffer or question. |
| Before your notice deadline | Sign the renewal or give written notice that you will move. |
Key terms
- Rent stabilized: an apartment whose annual increases are set by the Rent Guidelines Board.
- Local rent standard: under Good Cause Eviction, the lower of 5 percent plus local CPI or 10 percent; increases above it are presumptively unreasonable.
- Rebuttable presumption: a legal starting point that the landlord can try to overcome with evidence.
- Section 226-c notice: the 30, 60, or 90 day written notice required for increases of 5 percent or more on unregulated units (RPL § 226-c).
Frequently asked questions
My stabilized renewal starts September 1, 2026. Does the freeze apply?
The freeze covers leases beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 (Brick Underground). A lease starting earlier falls under the prior year’s guidelines.
Is the Good Cause limit a hard cap?
No. It creates a rebuttable presumption that an increase above the standard is unreasonable, which the landlord can try to overcome with evidence (Cornell Tenants Advocacy Program).
My landlord owns only my building of eight units and lives elsewhere. Am I covered?
Coverage depends on how many units the landlord owns statewide; landlords owning 10 or fewer units in New York State are exempt (NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit). Ask the landlord to confirm in writing, or seek help from a tenant organization.
A sample letter about a late or excessive increase
Date: 2026. To: [landlord]. Re: Renewal for [address, apartment]. I received your renewal offer dated 2026 proposing an increase from [amount] to [amount], a [percent] increase, for a lease starting 2026. [Because I have lived here more than two years, Real Property Law Section 226-c requires 90 days’ written notice of an increase of 5 percent or more, and my tenancy continues on its existing terms until that period expires.] [I believe my apartment is covered by the Good Cause Eviction law, and this increase exceeds the local rent standard.] Please confirm the correct terms in writing. Sincerely, [name].
Use only the bracketed statements that apply to your apartment, and keep a copy with proof of delivery (RPL § 226-c).
Sources
- Brick Underground, Rent Guidelines Board approves rent freeze
- NYC Mayor’s Office, statement on the final vote
- NYC Rent Guidelines Board, 2026 proposals
- NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, Eviction Protection and Resources
- Cornell Tenants Advocacy Program, Rent Increases
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Good Cause Eviction Law Notice, August 2026
- New York Real Property Law § 226-c
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, New York City
- 211.org