The FARE Act

Intro 360, or the Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act, is a landmark piece of legislation passed by the New York City Council in November of 2024, entering city law in June 2025. Sponsored by Councilmember Chi Ossé and supported by CUFFH Action and our housing allies, this law banned landlords from charging incoming tenants a forced broker fee upon move-in to a new apartment. These broker fees — charged in order to pay real estate agents hired by the landlord to put rentals on the market — were often exorbitantly expensive, ranging from an additional month of rent to 15% of the annual rent cost. Alongside the security deposit, first month of rent, and other move-in fees, this meant that incoming tenants in New York City were often expected to pay upwards of $10,000 just to get their keys in hand, drastically worsening the housing crisis and making apartment costs all the more prohibitive.

Councilmember Ossé and CUFFH Action worked together throughout 2024 to make sure that the FARE Act became city law. Our members mobilized their communities and spoke up in support of the act, highlighting the need for affordability in our existing housing stock and the negative effects of these high costs being forced onto renters. We were able to pass the act with overwhelming support in November of 2024, and since the act became law the following year, New York City has already seen more transparency from landlords and brokers and a decrease in prohibitive fees for new tenants. This law can only help the tenant movement, and we are incredibly proud to have been a part of it.