New York City landlords sue Mayor Zohran Mamdani over rent freeze

A coalition of New York City landlords has filed an Article 78 petition in New York Supreme Court challenging Mayor Zohran Mamdani's decision to freeze rents for roughly one million rent‑stabilized apartments. The landlords contend the Rent Guidelines Board's June vote was arbitrary, politically driven, and failed to weigh owners' rising operating costs, which they say increased 5.3 % last year. They describe the freeze as "blatantly illegal" and argue it threatens property owners' financial viability.

The case tests the limits of city authority over the Rent Guidelines Board and could set a precedent for judicial review of future rent‑freeze policies. While previous challenges under former Mayor Bill de Blasio focused on affordability considerations and were dismissed, this lawsuit emphasizes procedural flaws and the board’s statutory obligations. A ruling requiring more explicit balancing of owner and tenant data could narrow municipal discretion in housing policy.