Rent stabilization is a system of tenant protections in New York that limits rent increases, guarantees the right to lease renewals, and shields tenants from eviction without cause. At 157 Huron Street, and in thousands of buildings across the city, rent stabilization is the difference between housing security and displacement. Understanding how it works—and how landlords have tried to evade it—is essential for tenants, prospective renters, and anyone concerned with fair housing.
According to a real estate brokerage memo posted online (link here), all of the apartments at 157 Huron Street are– or should be rent stabilized.
What Rent Stabilization Provides
- Right to Renew: Tenants have the legal right to renew their lease, usually for one- or two-year terms.
- Regulated Rent Increases: Annual increases are capped by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board, not set by landlords.
- Protection Against Eviction: Landlords cannot evict without a legal reason (such as nonpayment or lease violation).
- Succession Rights: Family members or other qualified occupants can take over the lease if the tenant of record leaves or passes away.
- Services and Repairs: Tenants are entitled to essential services (heat, hot water, maintenance) and can file complaints if these are not provided.
- Overcharge Protections: Tenants can challenge illegal rent increases and recover overcharges, sometimes with treble damages.
Want to know if your apartment is rent stabilized?
Step 1: Order Your Rent History
Follow this link and fill in the form: https://portal.hcr.ny.gov/app/ask
Step 2: Request an appointment with a tenants rights counselor.
Check the list of nonprofits under the “Resources” page on this site.
After meeting with someone who can advise you, and you believe that your apartment may have been wrongly deregulated, you have two options.
Option 1: File a rent overcharge complaint with the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR). You can find out more at this link here and find the fillable form here.
Option 2: Hire an attorney to file a lawsuit against your landlord in court.
Note: none of the above constitutes legal advice. Do your own research.