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At a City Council oversight hearing on July 15, 2026, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) told the Committee on Housing and Building that its 2025 estimate put about 8,000 Mitchell‑Lama households eligible for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRE), roughly 6,000 Mitchell‑Lama households were enrolled in SCRE, and eligibility estimates differ from enrollment because many eligible households already receive other rental subsidies such as Section 8 vouchers. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
# What’s happening
– HPD reported about 8,000 Mitchell‑Lama households estimated eligible for SCRE — HPD — reported July 15, 2026.
– HPD reported about 6,000 Mitchell‑Lama households currently enrolled in SCRE — HPD — reported July 15, 2026.
– Department of Finance completes DRE applications and coordinates DRE outreach — Department of Finance — ongoing.
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2843
# Why it matters
– Mitchell‑Lama residents facing large rent or carrying‑charge increases may rely on SCRE or DRE for immediate relief.
– Enrollment gaps mean some income‑eligible households are not receiving available rent‑increase exemptions.
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=6319
# Key details
– HPD cited a 2025 estimate of about 8,000 Mitchell‑Lama households eligible for SCRE.
– HPD said roughly 6,000 Mitchell‑Lama households are enrolled in SCRE.
– HPD reported 5,500 Section 8 vouchers in its Mitchell‑Lama portfolio.
– Citywide, HPD said about 158,214 households are SCRE‑eligible and 67,132 received SCRE in 2023.
– DRE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) applications are completed by the Department of Finance (DOF).
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=6319 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2843
At the July 15, 2026 Committee on Housing and Building hearing, Council members pressed HPD on how many Mitchell‑Lama households are eligible for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRE) and the Disabled Rent Increase Exemption (DRE). Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
**New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency that supervises roughly half of the city’s Mitchell‑Lama portfolio.
– Action taken or responsibility: Reported Mitchell‑Lama SCRE eligibility and enrollment figures to the Council.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Cited a 2025 estimate of ~8,000 eligible Mitchell‑Lama households; reported ~6,000 enrolled; 5,500 Section 8 vouchers in portfolio.
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
HPD told the committee the 8,000 figure comes from a 2025 estimate that looks at income eligibility only. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
HPD said that income‑only eligibility counts can overstate the number of people who can actually enroll because households already receiving another rental subsidy, such as a housing choice voucher (Section 8), are not eligible for SCRE. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
HPD gave specific Mitchell‑Lama portfolio counts: about 5,500 households hold Section 8 vouchers and about 6,000 Mitchell‑Lama households are enrolled in SCRE. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
**Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRE)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Municipal exemption that shields qualifying older adults from certain rent increases.
– Action taken or responsibility: HPD enrolls eligible Mitchell‑Lama households in SCRE; pre‑filled SCRE applications are sent when an increase takes effect.
– Relevant numbers or dates: HPD referenced a 2025 eligibility estimate (~8,000 Mitchell‑Lama households) and reported ~6,000 Mitchell‑Lama enrollees.
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=3464
HPD witnesses described outreach by housing supervision teams, portfolio analysts, and constituent service coordinators that work with managing agents and residents to promote SCRE enrollment. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=1950
HPD officials told the Council that pre‑filled SCRE applications are generated when a rent or carrying‑charge increase actually goes into effect, so some pre‑filled forms are only produced after increases are initiated. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=3464
**Department of Finance (DOF)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency that administers tax and certain rent‑exemption programs.
– Action taken or responsibility: Completes DRE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) applications and coordinates with HPD outreach events.
– Relevant numbers or dates: DOF handles DRE application processing during joint outreach.
Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2843
HPD and Council members discussed the larger, citywide gap between SCRE eligibility estimates and actual enrollment: HPD said about 158,214 households are eligible citywide while only 67,132 households received the benefit in 2023. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=6319
HPD offered two explanations for the enrollment gap: eligibility estimates often count income‑eligible households without accounting for other program participation (like Section 8), and administrative or outreach hurdles can prevent eligible households from completing enrollment. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=1950
HPD noted changes that could affect eligibility and outreach: the statewide SCRE income cap recently increased from $50,000 to $75,000, which requires local legislative action to implement at the city level. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=690
Council members asked whether HPD was fully complying with Local Law 44 of 2024, which requires pre‑filled SCRE applications for Mitchell‑Lama residents based on annual income affidavits; HPD said it runs SCRE enrollment for Mitchell‑Lamas and conducts targeted outreach, though some council members and advocates said residents still need help completing applications. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=3464 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=3156
HPD also described broader Mitchell‑Lama portfolio pressures — including multiple developments that saw large rent or carrying‑charge increases in recent years — and said enrollment in SCRE and DRE is one of several tools the agency uses to lessen resident impacts. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=1950 https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=618
For follow‑up, the committee requested detailed lists of Mitchell‑Lama developments and the timing of rent or maintenance‑fee increases; HPD said it would supply those lists after the hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=1328
If you want the primary quotes and numbers from the hearing, HPD’s remarks on Mitchell‑Lama SCRE eligibility, enrollment, and the Section 8 interaction are on the hearing record beginning at timestamp 43:34 in the Council’s posted video. Source: https://youtu.be/8QRT6oc8dqQ&t=2614
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