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Proposed SCRIE and DRIE Expansion Would Help More Older New Yorkers Stay in Their Homes, AARP Says
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AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel issued the following statement in support of Proposed Int. 978-A, which would raise the maximum household income for eligibility for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) programs from $50,000 to $75,000.
“For far too many older New Yorkers and people with disabilities, housing costs are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. While New York City's older adult population has grown significantly over the past decade, so too have the number of older residents living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. Many are living on fixed or limited incomes and facing impossible choices between paying rent, buying groceries, filling prescriptions, or covering other essential expenses.
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SCRIE and DRIE are among the most effective tools we have to help New Yorkers remain in the homes and communities they know and love. These programs provide critical protection against rising rents and help older adults and people with disabilities age in place with dignity, stability, and independence. Unfortunately, the current $50,000 income threshold no longer reflects the economic realities facing New Yorkers today. A household can earn slightly more than that amount and still struggle to keep up with the extraordinarily high cost of living in our city.
Raising the eligibility threshold to $75,000 is a commonsense and compassionate solution that will ensure these protections reach more of the New Yorkers they were created to serve. Expanding access will help reduce the risk of displacement, strengthen housing stability, and make it possible for more residents to continue contributing to the neighborhoods and communities they helped build.
AARP New York strongly supports Introduction 978 and applauds Council Member Louis for her leadership on this issue and the City Council for advancing this important conversation. Older New Yorkers spent a lifetime working, raising families, and investing in this city. They should not be priced out of their homes because an outdated eligibility threshold has failed to keep pace with today's cost of living."
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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