From ABC7 New York · · 1m 30s
Judge orders City Hall to release rent freeze records
A court has ordered New York City to hand over communications between the mayor's office and the Rent Guidelines Board ahead of the historic rent freeze vote.
In brief
A court has ordered New York City to hand over communications between the mayor's office and the Rent Guidelines Board ahead of the historic rent freeze vote. A judge ruled that communications between City Hall and the Rent Guidelines Board must be disclosed in a lawsuit challenging the rent freeze, potentially…
Judge orders disclosure of rent freeze talks
A New York judge has ordered City Hall to release all written communications with the Rent Guidelines Board from January 1 through June 26, 2026, when the board voted to freeze rents.
Landlords challenge the historic freeze
A group of landlords filed a lawsuit to overturn the rent freeze, claiming the Rent Guidelines Board was improperly influenced by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani's administration to fulfill a campaign promise.
What the freeze covers
The June vote froze rents on one-year and two-year leases for more than one million rent-stabilized apartments across New York City.
Landlords' lawyer sees vindication
Randy Mastro, representing the landlords, said the records request proves their position that the process was predetermined, and that communications between the mayor's office and an independent board are highly relevant.
“goes to the heart of our position that this was a sham process with a predetermined outcome”
City denies wrongdoing
City Hall has denied allegations that it improperly influenced the Rent Guidelines Board's decision. The lawsuit remains pending as the court process continues.
The short version
A judge ruled that communications between City Hall and the Rent Guidelines Board must be disclosed in a lawsuit challenging the rent freeze, potentially revealing whether the mayor's office improperly influenced the board's decision.
