Division of Housing and Community Renewal
DHCR stands for the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal. It is a state agency that oversees affordable housing statewide, with significant operations in New York City. This mostly affects you if your building has rent‑stabilized tenants or participates in programs like Section 8 or Mitchell‑Lama.
Important information
DHCR is not the same as NYC DOB – It deals with rent and tenant rights, while DOB* handles building inspections and building code violations.
Core Responsibilities
DHCR supervises public and assisted rental housing, (not every small 1–2 family rental units). It administers rent stabilization and protects regulated tenants from overcharges or harassment. Through its Office of Rent Administration, it approves rent increases, handles complaints, and enforces lease renewals and services.
NYC-Specific Role
In NYC, DHCR regulates rent-stabilized apartments (often in buildings with 6+ units built 1947-1973), processes overcharge claims, manages annual rent registration, and mediates disputes—distinct from NYC’s HPD, which focuses on physical conditions and violations. It also runs programs like Mitchell-Lama and Section 8 vouchers for low-income renters.
Key Programs
- Rent Regulation: Limits increases, requires habitability warranties.
- Affordable Housing: Helps pay for new affordable housing and repairs with tax incentives, loans, and grants.
- Tenant Protection Unit: Investigates fraud and harassment patterns.
Landlords must comply with registration and increases; tenants can file complaints online via HCR’s portal.
revised 2/17/2026
Related terms
Some glossary entries use an asterisk * at the end of the term (for example, violation*). This mark is only a technical tool to stop the system from creating too many automatic links on the website. It does not change the meaning of the term.
- DHCR
- rental
- NYS
- rent stabilization
- Housing
- Section 8
Good to know
This page is for general education only and is based on public New York City sources when available. Some technical and legal terms are simplified into plain English to help homeowners and ESL readers. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace guidance from a licensed professional. NYC construction and safety rules change often, and your project may have extra DOB*, OSHA*, or local requirements. Before you start work, always check current rules with a licensed design professional or directly with the NYC Department of Buildings.
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If you see any capital letter abbreviations on this page or in an official letter you received from the city and you do not understand them, you can try to look them up on our NYC Violation Codes HUB page with the search tool.
Revised