On May 28, 2025, the New York City Council passed the Rent Transparency Act (Intro. 1037-A) with a supermajority of 49 votes. This new legislation introduces signage requirement for owners of buildings containing rent-stabilized units. The Rent Transparency Act will take effect at the end of January, 2026. This client alert will summarize the law’s requirements.
New Signage Requirement
Under the law, owners of any building containing at least one rent-stabilized unit will be required to post a new sign on their properties. The sign will inform tenants that the building includes rent-stabilized apartments and that they can request a rent history from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) to see if they live in one.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development will distribute the required signage. While the DHCR may issue additional formatting guidance before the law’s effective date, the sign will include the following language:
“This building contains one or more units that are subject to the Rent Stabilization Law of 1969. To find out if your unit is registered as rent stabilized, contact the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Owners of such buildings must submit an annual filing to DHCR and provide each tenant with a copy of the information that pertains to their unit. Owners that fail to file may be subject to penalties.”
The notice must appear in both English and Spanish and be posted where tenants are likely to see it, such as a building’s main entryway or another common area.
The penalty for failure to comply is not less than fifty ($50.00) dollars and not more than one hundred fifty ($150.00) dollars, then twenty five ($25.00) dollars per day until cured.
Statutory Context And Continuing Obligations
The Rent Transparency Act does not replace existing duties under the Rent Stabilization Law of 1969, instead it expands them. Owners of rent-stabilized units have long been required to register apartments annually with the DHCR and to provide tenants with a copy of the unit-specific registration data. These filings establish the legally regulated rent for each apartment and confirm whether the unit remains under stabilization.
With respect to the signage requirements introduced by the Rent Transparency Act, no further action is required until the City releases final language and posting instructions. Landlords may wish to review current rent-stabilization procedures in preparation for the upcoming changes.
The foregoing is not intended to be comprehensive nor constitute legal advice. If you would like to discuss your specific circumstances or would like more information, feel free to contact us at (212) 625-8505.