A group representing New York City landlords filed a lawsuit on July 22nd challenging the Rent Guidelines Board’s decision to freeze rents for about one million rent-stabilized apartments, arguing the move was unfair and politically motivated.
The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court on Staten Island, seeks to overturn the board’s vote to approve a 0% rent increase for one and two-year lease renewals beginning October 1. Landlord groups say the freeze ignores rising costs for property taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, and building maintenance.
The plaintiffs also claim the Rent Guidelines Board did not act independently. According to the lawsuit, the board was influenced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s public support for a rent freeze and relied on financial information that failed to reflect the true cost of operating rent-stabilized buildings.
Randy Mastro, attorney for the landlords said, “As thousands of property owners continue to struggle with skyrocketing costs, this irrational and illegal decision by the Rent Guidelines Board cannot stand.”
City officials have defended the board’s decision saying it followed the law and based its vote on months of public hearings, financial reports, and testimony from tenants, landlords, and housing experts.
Tenant advocates welcomed the rent freeze, saying it will provide much-needed relief to families struggling with New York City’s high cost of living.
Landlord organizations, however, warn that keeping rents flat could make it more difficult for building owners to maintain aging properties and provide necessary repairs.
The case is expected to move through the courts in the coming months and could shape future decisions affecting both renters and property owners across the city
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