If you’re concerned about safety, bring a friend with you when you go see the apartment.

There are plenty of websites with standard rental lease pdf templates that you can use to have an agreement in writing.

You can use https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/taxes/acris.page and other tools to look up the deed and see who the owner is. It’s possible though the owner is listed as an llc corporation. Some people do this to have better protection legally and for tax purposes.