New York City Landlord Guide, Post HSTPA and Good Cause Eviction (2026)
New York City has the most complex residential landlord regime in the United States. State law (RPL Article 7, GOL 7-108, RPAPL 711) provides the floor; HSTPA 2019 tightened rent and deposit rules statewide; Good Cause Eviction (Part HH of the 2024 State Budget) added just-cause termination; the NYC Administrative Code adds dozens of additional disclosures and obligations. This guide pulls the NYC-specific overlay together for 2026.
## How NYC layers on state law
NYC starts with the statewide RLTA framework, then adds: - Rent stabilization for ~1 million units in buildings of 6+ units built before 1974. - DHCR (Division of Housing and Community Renewal) as the regulatory authority over rent-stabilized units. - HSTPA 2019 rent and deposit caps applied in addition to local rules. - Good Cause Eviction for many NYC tenancies post April 2024. - NYC Admin Code disclosures (window guard, bedbug, sprinkler, stove knob, lead paint with NYC-specific certification).
A pre-2019 NYC lease template that does not reflect HSTPA + Good Cause is materially out of compliance.
A unit is rent-stabilized if it is in a building of 6+ units built before 1974 (or after 1974 if the building received certain tax benefits). Rent-stabilized units have: - Annual rent increases set by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (typically 2-3 percent for 1-year, 4-5 percent for 2-year, with year-to-year variation). - Lease renewal rights for the tenant. - Eviction limited to specific just causes. - Mandatory DHCR registration.
If your unit is rent-stabilized, NYC and DHCR rules dominate over generic landlord-tenant rules.
HSTPA (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019) reshaped statewide NY rules and applied to NYC: - Deposit cap: 1 month rent maximum (GOL 7-108(1-a)). - 14-day deposit return with itemized statement (GOL 7-108(1-a)(e)). - $50 or 5% late fee cap (RPL 238-a(2)) with 5-day grace. - $20 application fee cap (RPL 238-a(1)(b)). - 30/60/90 tenure-based termination notice under RPL 226-c. - 14-day pay-or-quit for non-payment (RPAPL 711(2)), up from 3 days.
## Good Cause Eviction (Part HH 2024)
Effective April 2024, Good Cause Eviction (Part HH of the 2024 State Budget) requires landlords to specify a qualifying reason on any termination notice for covered tenancies. NYC adopted Good Cause for many non-rent-stabilized tenancies in buildings of 11+ units.
Good Cause grounds include: - Non-payment of rent. - Material lease breach. - Nuisance. - Owner or relative move-in. - Withdrawal of unit from rental market. - Refusal to allow access.
A no-cause termination is not permitted on Good Cause-covered units. The landlord must also offer a renewal lease at a presumptive rent (limited to CPI + 5% or 10%, lower of).
Every NYC residential lease should include: - Lead paint disclosure (federal + NYC HPD certification under Local Law 31). - Window guard disclosure (NYC Health Code 131.15) when a child 10 or younger lives in the unit. - Bedbug annual report (NYC Admin Code 27-2018.1). - Sprinkler disclosure (RPL 231-a). - Stove knob covers (NYC Admin Code 27-2046.4, Local Law 44 of 2022) when a child under 6 lives in the unit. - Recycling notice (NYC Sanitation rules).
Missing any can subject the landlord to fines or void termination notices in dispute.
## DHCR registration and oversight
For rent-stabilized units, the landlord must: - Register with DHCR annually. - File the rent roll showing legal regulated rent. - Provide tenants with a DHCR rent history on request (free). - Comply with DHCR rent calculation rules on lease renewals.
A landlord who fails to register cannot raise rent. Tenants can file complaints with DHCR for rent overcharge, illegal deregulation, or service reductions.
Treating NYC like upstate NY. Generic NY lease templates often miss NYC-specific disclosures (window guard, bedbug, stove knob). NYC HPD enforces with fines.
Missing the 14-day pay-or-quit period. Pre HSTPA the rule was 3 days. Post HSTPA the rule is 14 days under RPAPL 711(2). Eviction filings on 3-day notices are dismissed.
Late fees above $50 / 5%. HSTPA caps at $50 or 5% with 5-day grace. Higher fees are unenforceable.
Application fees above $20. RPL 238-a(1)(b) caps at $20. Higher fees on rejected applications expose landlord to suit.
For a NYC residential lease that includes HSTPA-compliant deposit, late fee, and notice rules, plus all NYC Admin Code disclosures (window guard, bedbug, sprinkler, stove knob), see leasekit.io/templates/new-york-residential-lease for $29 one-time.