Income threshold up for senior rent program

The income threshold for senior citizens enrolled in the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Program has been raised to $29,000, up $1,000 from last year. The increase, which took effect July 1, is the last one authorized by a 2005 state law. In order to permit additional yearly increases, Michael McKee of Tenants Political Action Committee said the state and the city would have to adopt new authorizing laws. The program, which exempts households headed by people 62 years and older from future rent increases, allows landlords to collect tax abatements from the city, totaling $122 million per year, instead. But with the city facing bigger budget issues next year, there may be opposition to enacting future increases in the income threshold.