NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board over freeze

A coalition of New York City landlords filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, seeking to overturn the Rent Guidelines Board’s decision to freeze rent increases for roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments for the next year. The first-of-its-kind freeze for two-year renewal leases, approved by the board on June 25, is scheduled to take effect on October 1.

The lawsuit, filed in the Richmond County Supreme Court, alleges the board engaged in a sham process and manipulated data to deliver on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s key campaign promise. It argues the board, whose majority was appointed by the mayor, was not independent and that City Hall improperly influenced the outcome. Justice Ralph Porzio scheduled an initial hearing on the case for September 2.

Seven limited liability companies that own or operate rent-stabilized buildings in Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn are the plaintiffs. Their attorney, Randy Mastro, a former deputy mayor under Mayor Eric Adams, argued the mayor “preordained this outcome and then took affirmative steps to stack the deck.” The lawsuit requests the court to invalidate the June vote, send the matter back to the board for a new...