With tenant protections on the minds of many Queens residents during the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Councilman Daniel Dromm introduced a resolution in the Immigration Committee calling for immigrant New Yorkers to be eligible for the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) program.
“Since I took office, my office has been helping constituents apply for what is popularly known as the Rent Freeze Program, which helps low-income seniors and disabled New Yorkers stay in their homes,” Dromm said. “In addition to meeting financial criteria, recipients of the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption, or SCRIE, must be at least 62 years of age. Recipients of the Disability Rent Increase Exemption, or DRIE, must show that they receive federal benefits, mainly through Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. SCRIE and DRIE are invaluable to many of the residents of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst and throughout the city.”
