NYC Implements Rent Freeze on 1 Million Apartments, Keeping Promise

WHO:

CNN - Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the decision as a "historic victory for New York City tenants."

NY Post - Christina Smyth, a board member appointed by landlords, resigned in protest, claiming the board's independence had been compromised.

CNN - Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the rent freeze decision as “a historic victory for New York City tenants.”

NY Post - Tenant Lex Rountree expressed, "This is a city for the working people making it run and we are making it run for us and I am so overjoyed."

ABC7 New York - K Agbebiyi of the Tenant Bloc stated, "For years landlords have run this city, and this is a new era of tenant power."

NY Post - Landlord Humberto Lopes stated, "We're going to have to cut back. We're gonna have to lay off some of the people... It's a business. People don't get it. This is a business. It's not a choice that this is for free."

NY Post - James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), said, "Tonight's vote may be politically popular, but it will make New York's housing crisis worse."

CNN - Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association, stated, "This will only result in more dilapidated housing and potentially more foreclosures and bankruptcies, which the city is wholly unprepared for."

CNN - Christina Smyth, a former board member of the Rent Guidelines Board, claimed in her resignation letter, "The Rent Guidelines Board has stopped being a fact-finding body."

ABC7 New York - Tenant Lex Rountree stated, "This is no longer just a city that's a playground for the rich... we are finally here after so much fighting, after years of struggling to figure out how we're going to make ends meet."

ABC7 New York - K Agbebiyi of the Tenant Bloc said, "For years landlords have run this city, and this is a new era of tenant power."

CNN - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

CNN - Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association

CNN - Christina Smyth, former board member of the Rent Guidelines Board

Gothamist - Tenant advocates

NY Post - Rent Guidelines Board

WHAT:

CNN - The Rent Guidelines Board's vote was a 7-1 decision in favor of the two-year rent freeze.

NY Post - The board passed the two-year freeze in a 7-1 vote.

ABC7 New York - This is the first time in the board's history that a freeze has been approved for both one-year and two-year leases.

Gothamist - The Rent Guidelines Board's vote was a 7-1 decision in favor of the two-year rent freeze.

CNN - The board's decision is expected to face a legal challenge.

ABC7 New York - The Rent Guidelines Board has frozen one-year leases only three times before the recent vote, but had never voted to approve a freeze for two-year leases until now.

CNN - The board's decision to freeze rents is expected to face a legal challenge.

CNN - The Rent Guidelines Board's vote was a 7-1 decision in favor of the rent freeze.

CNN - The board's decision is expected to face a legal challenge.

ABC7 New York - This is the first time in the board's history that a freeze has been approved for both one-year and two-year leases.

ABC7 New York - The board's vote was 7-1 in favor of the rent freeze.

CNN - The Rent Guidelines Board approved a rent freeze covering both one-year and two-year leases for approximately 1 million rent-stabilized apartments.

NY Post - The board passed the two-year freeze in a 7-1 vote.

CNN - Mamdani described the decision as “a historic victory for New York City tenants.”

CNN - The board has frozen rents in the past, most recently under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.

WHERE:

CNN - New York City

CNN - An auditorium at a museum along Central Park

WHEN:

CNN - The rent freeze was approved on a Thursday evening.

WHY:

CNN - Critics argue that the rent freeze could lead to higher rental costs for non-stabilized units and potentially more dilapidated housing.

NY Post - Landlords have been gearing up for legal challenges against the rent freeze, calling it a "political sham."

CNN - Critics argue that the rent freeze could lead to higher rental costs for non-stabilized units and potentially more dilapidated housing.

CNN - Critics argue that a rent freeze could lead to higher rental costs for non-stabilized units and potentially more dilapidated housing.

CNN - Mamdani stated, "This is the relief that working people across our city deserve."

ABC7 New York - Mamdani stated, "This is a historic victory for New York City tenants... the independent RGB has delivered a freeze on one-year leases, and the first-ever freeze on two-year leases in our city's history."

CNN - Mamdani's campaign promise was to tackle the high cost of living in New York City by freezing rents.

CNN - Critics argue that a rent freeze could lead to higher rental costs for non-stabilized units and potentially more dilapidated housing.

HOW:

CNN - Mamdani appointed a majority of the board’s members a little over a month into his term, indicating a focus on the rent freeze.

AP - Mamdani appointed a majority of the board’s members a little over a month into his term, indicating a focus on the rent freeze.

CNN - Mamdani appointed a majority of the board’s members a little over a month into his term, indicating a focus on the rent freeze.

ABC7 New York - Christina Smyth, a board member appointed by landlords, resigned in protest, claiming the board's independence had been compromised.

CNN - The Rent Guidelines Board is an independent panel of mayoral appointees that votes on the maximum allowed rent increase each year.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 23:18 UTC)

In a significant move for tenants, the Rent Guidelines Board has approved a historic two-year rent freeze in a decisive 7-1 vote, a decision celebrated by Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a "historic victory for New York City tenants." However, the vote has sparked controversy, with Christina Smyth, a board member appointed by landlords, resigning in protest and claiming the board's independence has been compromised. Critics warn that this freeze could lead to increased rental costs for non-stabilized units and potential deterioration of housing, while landlords are preparing for legal challenges, labeling the freeze a "political sham."

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 13:37 UTC)

In a significant move for tenants, the Rent Guidelines Board voted seven to one in favor of a two-year rent freeze, which Mayor Zohran Mamdani hailed as “a historic victory for New York City tenants.” Tenant Lex Rountree expressed his joy, stating, "This is a city for the working people making it run and we are making it run for us." However, the board's decision is expected to face legal challenges, with critics warning that it could lead to higher rental costs for non-stabilized units and more dilapidated housing.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 11:53 UTC)

The Rent Guidelines Board has made a historic decision by approving a freeze on two-year leases for the first time, a move that critics, including James Whelan from the Real Estate Board of New York, warn could exacerbate New York's housing crisis. Landlord Humberto Lopes expressed concern over the financial implications, stating that layoffs may be necessary as the business cannot operate without revenue. This decision is expected to face legal challenges, with opponents arguing that it could lead to increased costs for non-stabilized units and a decline in housing quality.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 08:11 UTC)

In a significant move, the Rent Guidelines Board voted seven to one in favor of a rent freeze, a decision that is anticipated to face legal challenges. Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association, expressed concern that this could lead to more dilapidated housing and increased foreclosures, while Christina Smyth, a former board member, criticized the board for no longer serving as a fact-finding body. Mamdani, who appointed a majority of the board's members early in his term, stated that this decision represents the relief that working people across the city deserve.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 04:21 UTC)

In a historic decision, the board has approved a rent freeze for both one-year and two-year leases for the first time ever, with a vote of seven to one in favor. Tenant Lex Rountree expressed the significance of this moment, stating that it marks a shift away from a city dominated by the wealthy, while K Agbebiyi from the Tenant Bloc emphasized the rise of tenant power after years of landlord control. Meanwhile, board member Christina Smyth resigned in protest, arguing that the board's independence has been compromised.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 01:44 UTC)

In a significant move for tenants, the Rent Guidelines Board in New York City has approved a rent freeze for both one-year and two-year leases, impacting around one million rent-stabilized apartments. The board passed this decision with a 7-1 vote, and Mayor Mamdani hailed it as “a historic victory for New York City tenants.” This independent panel, made up of mayoral appointees, has a history of freezing rents, a practice that was last seen under Mayor Bill de Blasio.