Rent Stabilization in Rockland County, NY

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Overview of Rent Stabilization in Rockland County

Rockland County is a suburban county located roughly 25 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan, directly across the Hudson River from Westchester County. Home to approximately 340,000 residents, the county encompasses five towns—Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo, and Stony Point—as well as a number of incorporated villages including Spring Valley, New City, Nanuet, and Suffern. While many residents commute to New York City, Rockland has developed its own commercial centers and a diverse, fast-growing population that has placed significant pressure on the county's rental housing market over the past few decades.

Rockland County has opted into New York State's Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 (ETPA), the law that extends rent stabilization beyond New York City to localities that declare a housing emergency. However, ETPA opt-in coverage in Rockland is more limited than in neighboring Westchester County—not every municipality in Rockland has opted in, and coverage is concentrated in higher-density communities such as the Village of Spring Valley and portions of the Town of Ramapo. Rent-stabilized apartments in Rockland are governed by the Rockland County Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), which sets annual allowable rent increases, and by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR/HCR), which administers the program and handles complaints.

Additionally, a small and dwindling stock of pre-1947 rental units in Rockland may be subject to old-law rent control under the Maximum Base Rent (MBR) system, which is also administered by DHCR. Rent control under this system applies only to tenants who have been in continuous occupancy since before their building entered the control system; once a rent-controlled tenant vacates, the unit typically becomes decontrolled. Understanding which system—if any—applies to your apartment is the first step in asserting your rights as a Rockland County renter.

Who Is Covered?

Rent regulation in Rockland County covers two overlapping categories of tenants. Whether your apartment is covered depends on the age of your building, its location, its size, and your individual tenancy history.

• ETPA Rent Stabilization (post-1947 buildings): Applies to residential buildings with 6 or more units constructed between February 1, 1947 and January 1, 1974 that are located in a municipality that has formally opted into the ETPA. Spring Valley and areas within the Town of Ramapo are among the Rockland municipalities with known ETPA coverage. Tenants in qualifying buildings receive stabilized leases, regulated rents, and just-cause eviction protections.
• Old-Law Rent Control (pre-1947 buildings): A very small number of tenants in buildings constructed before February 1, 1947 may be subject to rent control under the Maximum Base Rent system, provided they have been in continuous occupancy since the building was placed under control. This category is steadily shrinking—when a rent-controlled tenant vacates, the unit is permanently decontrolled.
• Municipalities that have NOT opted in: If you live in a Rockland County municipality that has not declared a housing emergency and opted into ETPA, your building is not covered by rent stabilization regardless of its size or age. Tenants in non-opted-in areas are governed by their lease and general landlord-tenant law, not rent regulation.
• Exempt units even in opted-in areas: Buildings with 5 or fewer units are not covered. Owner-occupied buildings with fewer than the threshold number of units are excluded. Newly constructed buildings (generally built after 1974) are typically exempt unless they received a tax benefit requiring stabilization. Luxury deregulated units, co-ops, and condominiums are also excluded.
• High-rent deregulation: Apartments that reached the high-rent deregulation threshold (under prior law) may have been removed from stabilization, though the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (HSTPA) significantly curtailed this path going forward.

Rent Increase Limits

For rent-stabilized apartments in Rockland County, the maximum allowable rent increases are set each year by the Rockland County Rent Guidelines Board (RGB). The Rockland RGB is a separate body from the New York City RGB and from the RGBs in Nassau and Westchester counties—each county sets its own rates based on local economic conditions, operating costs, and vacancy data.

The Rockland RGB typically issues annual guidelines that specify the maximum percentage increase a landlord may charge on a one-year or two-year lease renewal for a stabilized apartment. Tenants and landlords should check directly with the Rockland County RGB or the NYS DHCR for the most current guideline orders, as rates are updated periodically and can vary from year to year. Landlords cannot collect increases above the RGB-approved amount without a specific DHCR order permitting a higher rent (for example, for major capital improvements or individual apartment improvements).

For apartments subject to old-law rent control, the process is different. Rents are governed by the Maximum Base Rent (MBR) system: DHCR recalculates each unit's MBR every two years based on a cost-of-operations formula, and the Maximum Collectible Rent (MCR) is adjusted annually. Landlords must be current on taxes and certify essential services to be eligible for MBR increases. The allowable increase in any single year under rent control is capped—typically the landlord can only collect up to a 7.5% increase per year toward the MBR, even if the calculated MBR is higher.

In both systems, landlords are prohibited from collecting rent above the legal regulated rent. If you believe your landlord is overcharging, you can file a rent overcharge complaint with DHCR.

Your Rights as a Rent Stabilized Tenant

Rent-stabilized tenants in Rockland County enjoy a range of important legal protections under the ETPA and the Rent Stabilization Law, enforced by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). These rights include:

• Right to lease renewal: Your landlord must offer you a renewal lease at or before the end of your current lease term. The renewal must be at the legal regulated rent plus any RGB-approved increase. You have the right to choose between a one-year or two-year renewal term.
• Just-cause eviction protection: A landlord cannot refuse to renew your lease or evict you without a legally recognized reason. Permissible grounds include nonpayment of rent, lease violations, nuisance, owner use of the apartment, or building-wide renovation under specific conditions. Eviction solely to re-rent at a higher price is prohibited.
• Protection against rent overcharges: If your landlord charges rent above the legal regulated amount, you can file an overcharge complaint with DHCR. Willful overcharges can result in treble damages (three times the overcharge amount).
• Protection against harassment: Landlords may not use harassment, service reductions, or threats to force stabilized tenants to vacate. You can file a harassment complaint with DHCR if you experience such conduct.
• Rent history access: You have the right to request the rent history for your apartment from DHCR, which can help you verify whether your current rent is legal.
• Lease rider requirement: Landlords must attach a Rent Stabilization Lease Rider to every stabilized lease, disclosing the prior rent, the legal regulated rent, and your rights under the law.
• Filing complaints: Complaints regarding overcharges, lease renewal failures, service reductions, or landlord harassment can be filed with the DHCR Mid-Hudson Regional Office, which serves Rockland County. You may also contact Rockland County legal aid organizations for assistance.

How to Check If Your Apartment Is Rent Stabilized in Rockland County

Because ETPA coverage in Rockland County applies only in certain municipalities and certain building types, it is important to verify your apartment's status using reliable sources. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Use RentCheckMe: Start at rentcheckme.com to search your address. Our database draws on publicly available registration and DHCR data to give you a quick indication of whether your unit has a history of rent stabilization.
2. Check your lease and lease rider: Rent-stabilized tenants must receive a Rent Stabilization Lease Rider with every lease. Look for this rider in your lease paperwork—it will state the apartment's legal regulated rent and indicate that the unit is subject to rent stabilization. If you have never received a rider and believe you should have, that itself may be a violation worth reporting.
3. Search DHCR's Rent Regulated Building Lists: The New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) agency maintains publicly searchable lists of rent-regulated buildings. Visit hcr.ny.gov and use the 'Rent Regulated Building Search' tool to look up your building's address.
4. Request your apartment's rent history: You can submit a formal request to DHCR for the rent registration history of your specific apartment. This will show you what rents have been registered by your landlord over the years and can help you spot overcharges. Submit your request through HCR's online portal or by contacting the Mid-Hudson Regional Office.
5. Contact DHCR's Mid-Hudson Regional Office: DHCR staff can confirm whether your building is registered as rent-stabilized. Call or visit the Mid-Hudson office (which serves Rockland County) for direct assistance. Contact information is available at hcr.ny.gov/regional-offices.
6. Contact local legal aid: If you are unsure about your status or believe your rights have been violated, reach out to Legal Services of the Hudson Valley or another local tenant advocacy organization for free or low-cost guidance.

Resources for Rockland County Tenants

• NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) / DHCR — The state agency that administers rent stabilization and rent control outside NYC, including Rockland County. Search regulated buildings, request rent histories, and file complaints.
• DHCR Mid-Hudson Regional Office — The DHCR regional office serving Rockland County. Contact for building registration lookups, overcharge complaints, and tenant inquiries.
• Rockland County Rent Guidelines Board — The local board that sets annual rent increase allowances for ETPA rent-stabilized apartments in Rockland County. Check here for current guideline orders.
• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley — Provides free civil legal assistance to low-income residents of Rockland County and the broader Hudson Valley region, including help with landlord-tenant matters and rent stabilization issues.
• RentCheckMe — Rockland County — Search your Rockland County address to quickly check whether your apartment has a rent stabilization history based on available public data.

Important: This article is a high-level overview and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and regulations change, and individual circumstances vary. For specific questions, contact NY HCR or a qualified attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions