So the good news is that rent-controlled apartments are cheap. The bad news is that there are none available.
NYC is messed up.
I know someone whose mom spends most of her time living out of the country, but her name is on the lease and her checking account pays the rent. I have suggested that all we need to do is just make sure the death notice never gets to the U.S. (and no the adult children’s names are not on the lease as joint lease-holders).