How do you find a rent controlled apartment in NYC?

Question

You always hear about these amazing deals. How do you find a rent controlled apartment in your desired location other than just asking around or networking among people?

Answer 1

only if you have a realtive who is a real esate agent

Answer 2

The other answers have pretty much covered this, but I wanted to add a few clarifications.

There are two terms to know: "rent controlled" and "rent stabilized." A rent-controlled apartment is one that has had its rent actually frozen (or pretty much so) for decades. These are the ones you hear about -- usually a little old lady has been living there since the 1950s and is still paying an outrageously low 1950s rent. However, unless that little old lady is your mother, you can't get that apartment. There was a story in L magazine a while ago about younger people rooming with elderly people in their rent-controlled places. That's legal, but once your elderly roommate dies, you'll be evicted in a heartbeat.

Realistically, you do not have any chance whatsoever of landing a rent-controlled apartment.

A rent stabilized apartment is one where the rent increases are set each year by a special guidelines board. Usually the rent will only go up by around 5% a year, which is good for New York. Also, living in a rent stabilized place affords you a lot of other rights that "normal" NYC renters don't have. For example, the landlord is legally obligated to provide certain services and if he doesn't you have the right to a rent reduction. Also, you have the legal right to sublet your rent-stabilized place, provided you follow the very specific regulations on that.

You can find a rent stabilized place. There may be some bribery involved (you will know if you have to do this because they'll just ask you for the bribe flat out), but it is possible. It helps to know that a place is almost certainly NOT rent stabilized unless the following are all true:
* The building has more than 6 units
* The building was built before the 1970s
* The rent is under $2000

In some cases, a building that doesn't meet those criteria will still be rent stabilized because the landlord has agreed to do this in exchange for government money for renovations and such.

You can call 311 or visit the Web site for the Housing and Preservation Department (www.nyc.gov/hpd) to see a list of rent-stabilized buildings by zip code. The list is not always up to date, so some units on the list may have broken the $2000 barrier and are no longer stabilized. Be aware that landlords are known to look you right in the eye and lie about whether the building is stabilized, so it pays to do your homework.

Also be aware that most landlords want nothing more in this world than to get their stabilized units over $2000, then get you out of the unit, so that they can charge market rates. Without getting into too much detail, the landlord can increase the rent by much more than usual by changing tenants. If your rent goes over $2000 while you're occuping a stabilized unit, it still remains stabilized. But once you move out, it escapes stabilization. Anyway, if you land a stabilized apartment, find out what all the rules are and FOLLOW THEM. You can bet that the landlord will be watching you, waiting for the chance to evict you.

Answer 3

You have to marry someone who has one. There are few rent controlled apartments. Once someone who is protected by rent control either moves out or dies without an heir or spouse (or in some sort of "civil union"), rent control ends & the apartment either moves to market rate or to "stabilized" status. Most apartments under $2,000 a month are "rent stabilized" which is not the same thing as controlled (tho' people often use the terms interchnageably) Stabilization limits the amount of increase from a prior tenant and on each renewal. Stabilization on a new apt or one coming off control uses a "fair market" rate as its starting base.

Answer 4

A rent controlled apartment is something that is inherited in NYC......no one can get a rent controlled apartment legally if it is not in the family. I had a friend who was paying 400/mo for a small apartment in Grenwich Village which was rent controlled (unheard of pratically)......she got it thru a friend.....after 12 years she was discovered back in 1994. With all of the money she saved over the years she bought a co-op in Brooklyn..
Rent Controlled Apartments are becoming obsolete too.

Answer 5

All apartments under $2000 a month are coverered by the Rent Control laws.

Answer 6

311 will provide addresses for rent stabilized buildings and also ask for applications for New York City Housing Development Corporation (NYC HDC) they are accepting tons of applications for brand new affordable apartments.

Answer 7

Move in with an elderly relative who's been living in the apartment since 1945. Then be really, really nice to your relative.

Answer 8

A lot of the time, you have to inherit it from a direct relative.