A new leaf—or should we say lease?—has been turned for New York City renters.
Under a newly enacted city law, landlords must now clearly disclose whether a building contains rent-stabilized apartments—right up front, in shared spaces tenants actually see. The goal is simple but significant: give renters the information they need to identify protections, spot illegal rent hikes, and understand their rights.
In true New York fashion, it’s a small notice with big consequences.
✅ What To Know: The Rent Transparency Act
The measure was first proposed in May 2025 and is now officially in effect, offering tenants clearer insight into whether their building includes rent-stabilized units—and what that could mean for them.
Formally designated as Local Law 86, the law took effect in January 2026 and applies to any building with at least one rent-stabilized apartment.
It requires landlords to post a notice in common areas stating that rent-stabilized units exist on the premises, along with instructions on how tenants can contact New York State Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR) to verify a unit’s status. Landlords must also continue complying with state law by filing annual rent registrations.
📝 The Lobby Notice
Under the law, landlords must post a clear notice that spells out key facts tenants have a right to know, including:
- The building contains rent-stabilized units
- How tenants can contact NY State DHCR to check their unit’s status
- Owners must file annual rent registrations
- Penalties may apply for failure to comply
It will state:
This building contains one or more units that are subject to the Rent Stabilization Law of 1969. To find out if your unit is registered as rent stabilized, contact the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) by calling 718-264-3800 or go online to www.hcr.ny.gov. Owners of such buildings must submit an annual registration to DHCR and provide each tenant with a copy of the information that pertains to their unit. Owners that fail to file may be subject to penalties.
The notice must be posted in a common area at the building’s entrance and made available in English, Spanish and other languages (listed on NYC Housing and Preservation Department’s website), ensuring renters don’t have to search for important information.
🏠 What This Means For Renters
For tenants, this is about fewer surprises and more leverage. Knowing that a building has rent-stabilized units can be a crucial clue—especially in buildings where market-rate and stabilized apartments sit side by side.
The notice doesn’t automatically mean certain units are stabilized, but it shows renters that it’s worth checking. That transparency can help renters spot illegal rent overcharges, ask the right questions before renewing, and better understand the protections they may be entitled to under city and state law.
🏙️ What constitutes as rent stabilized
Rent-stabilized apartments are typically found in buildings with six or more units built before 1974, though there are important exceptions and programs that can bring newer or smaller buildings into the system. These units come with limits on rent increases, renewal rights, and added tenant protections.
The only way to know for sure if a unit is rent stabilized? Request your rent history from DHCR, which is mailed out in about 20 business days and shows whether an apartment is—or ever was—stabilized.
Council member Sandy Nurse, who sponsored the bill, stated:
The Rent Transparency Act is a simple but powerful way to ensure that more than two million New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized homes know their status and aren’t being overcharged.
Because in such a fast paced city, a little information goes a long way. A small sign, a little clarity, and one more way NYC renters can breathe easier.