NYC Rent Stabilization 2026–27: The Rent Freeze and Renewal Rules

The Rent Guidelines Board froze stabilized rents for leases starting October 2026 to September 2027. What Order 58 means and how renewals work.

By Seayora Editorial Team · Published October 23, 2026 · Facts checked October 23, 2026 · 2 min read

Key takeaways

• Order 58: 0% for one-year and 0% for two-year leases beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
• The order that applies is the one in force when the renewal lease begins, not when it is signed.
• The tenant chooses a one-year or two-year renewal.
• Rent-stabilized apartments must be registered with DHCR every year.

What did the Rent Guidelines Board decide for 2026–27?

The Rent Guidelines Board sets the maximum increases for about a million rent-stabilized apartments each year. Its Apartment and Loft Order 58, adopted June 25, 2026, sets 0% for one-year and two-year renewal leases beginning on or after October 1, 2026 and on or before September 30, 2027 (Order 58).

See the Board’s Order 57 for the prior year. The guideline applies to the legal regulated rent, or to a preferential rent the tenant is paying, as described below.

How do renewal leases work?

• The owner must offer a renewal on DHCR’s form RTP-8 no more than 150 and no less than 90 days before the current lease expires (DHCR Fact Sheet 4).
• The tenant has 60 days to accept and chooses a one-year or a two-year term.
• The renewal must be on the same terms as the expiring lease, apart from the lawful increase and certain permitted changes.
• The increase allowed is set by the order in effect on the day the renewal lease begins.

What about preferential rents?

Since the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, a tenant paying a preferential rent below the legal regulated rent keeps it for the life of the tenancy, and renewal increases are calculated from the preferential rent, not the legal rent (DHCR Fact Sheet 40). The same law ended vacancy and high-rent deregulation.

What else must owners of stabilized apartments do?

• Register every stabilized apartment with DHCR annually; registrations are due by July 31 (HPD registration page).
• Give the rent-stabilization lease rider with vacancy and renewal leases.
• Charge no more than the legal regulated rent. An overcharge can carry treble damages where it was willful.
• Follow DHCR’s rules for individual apartment improvements and major capital improvements before adding either to the rent; see improvements in Seayora.

Frequently asked questions

My renewal lease starts October 15, 2026. What increase applies?

Order 58 covers leases beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, so the increase is 0% for a one-year or two-year renewal.

Does the rent freeze apply to market-rate apartments?

No. The Rent Guidelines Board orders apply only to rent-stabilized apartments. Market-rate apartments in New York City may be covered by the Good Cause Eviction Law instead.

Can I raise a preferential rent to the legal rent at renewal?

Not for the same tenant since 2019. The preferential rent continues for the tenancy and renewal increases apply to it.

State-by-state rules

• Is there rent control? — compared across 32 states and the District of Columbia

Sources

1. 2026-27 Apartment and Loft Order #58, NYC Rent Guidelines Board
2. 2025-26 Apartment and Loft Order #57, NYC Rent Guidelines Board
3. Fact Sheet 4: Lease Renewal in Rent Stabilized Apartments, New York State Homes and Community Renewal
4. Fact Sheet 40: Preferential Rents, New York State Homes and Community Renewal
5. Property Registration, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

How Seayora helps

NYC rent stabilization: Computes each unit’s legal rent from the order in force, prepares renewals and keeps the registration history.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes often, so check the current rule for your property and talk to an attorney before acting on a dispute.

How we write and check these guides: editorial standards.

Related on Seayora

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