Empty apartments in NYC remain neglected as landlords haven't responded to the city's offer for financial assistance to make repairs.

In an attempt to alleviate the severe housing crunch in the city, Mayor Eric Adams and city officials announced the Unlocking Doors program in April 2023. This initiative aims to bring vacant, low-cost apartments back into the rental market.

The program is designed to address the "warehousing" of empty apartments, a practice where landlords hold onto units that are too expensive to repair after longtime tenants leave. Critics argue that this practice contributes to the city's housing crisis, with approximately 13,000 rent-stabilized units remaining vacant for over a year, according to a 2023 report from the city's Independent Budget Office.

Landlord groups, however, argue that they could immediately bring these units back to the market if the state changed laws limiting their ability to raise rent. They have also used the fact that some units may be sitting empty as an effective tool to argue against rent regulations. Some landlords and tenants have even claimed that they live in buildings full of empty apartments.

To encourage participation in the Unlocking Doors program, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is offering up to $50,000 in reimbursement to property owners. This money can be used for renovating rent-stabilized apartments and leasing them to low-income tenants with housing vouchers.

However, the lack of participants in the Unlocking Doors program is being used by city housing officials as proof that the warehousing of vacant, rent-stabilized apartments isn't as big of a problem as some have claimed. As of now, only one property owner has completed an Unlocking Doors application, and another submitted an incomplete application before dropping out, according to city data.

The Unlocking Doors program only applies to rent-stabilized apartments with rents capped at $1,200 for a one-bedroom and $1,400 for a three-bedroom. HPD's more recent accounting showed fewer than 2,500 empty apartments had rents set below $1,000 per month.

Landlords have expressed concern that the Unlocking Doors program comes with too much uncertainty and will lock them into unprofitable rents for years to come. They argue that they could bring the units back to the market if the state changed laws limiting their ability to raise rent.

Despite the low participation in the Unlocking Doors program, the prospect of low-cost units sitting empty has infuriated many renters and tenant advocates. Deals like these are rare in the city and typically only come about when a longtime tenant moves out of a rent-stabilized apartment after living in it for decades.

The Unlocking Doors program represents a significant step towards providing affordable housing to low-income tenants with housing vouchers. As the city continues to grapple with its housing crisis, the success of this program will be closely watched.

Empty apartments in NYC remain neglected as landlords haven't responded to the city's offer for financial assistance to make repairs.