New York City has taken a fresh step to increase transparency for renters living in rent-stabilized housing. According to the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Local Law 86 (LL 86) of 2025 will require landlords to provide clear notices detailing whether a unit is rent-stabilized. This measure is set to kick off on January 26, 2026, aiming to keep renters informed and to prevent illegal rent hikes.
As part of the effort to simply provide tenants with crucial information, LL 86 mandates that landlords post a notice about rent stabilization in a public area in both English and Spanish. Council Member Sandy Nurse, who authored the bill, emphasized the benefit for over two million New Yorkers, stating to HPD, "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." The law seeks to ensure to proactively inform tenants before problems occur.
Behind the push for the Rent Transparency Act is a broader goal to protect the affordable housing stock from deregulation. AnnMarie Santiago, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services, told HPD that their efforts have been focusing on making sure tenants are equipped with the knowledge about their housing. "We want tenants to be able to see the complaints and violations in their homes and across the city, understand what steps follow, and feel confident in taking action when something isn't right," she remarked on the enforcement goals. The Rent Transparency Act is a tangible step in that direction.
LL 86 spells out that landlords must prominently display a notice stating that the building contains rent-stabilized units and provide instructions on how tenants can determine if their unit is one of them. In the case of noncompliance, penalties await landlords who fail to post the notice or provide annual registration to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). The notice must also include information on how to contact DHCR, alongside the property registration number and building address. This information, according to HPD, is crucial for tenants seeking to verify their status and to potentially pursue action. Landlords can find the notice available in multiple languages on the HPD website under the Required Signage section.
