Opinion: By the Numbers, a Rent Freeze Is Warranted

"By packing the Rent Guidelines Board with members of his choosing, Mayor Eric Adams has made his move to derail Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's campaign promise to freeze rents for the city's 1 million rent stabilized households. With few exceptions, the Board's five public members generally control the outcome of the annual guideline setting process. One public member, Alex Armlovich, will serve out a term lasting through 2026."

"These 11th hour appointments run afoul of customary deference to an incoming mayor and undermine a clear democratic mandate for leadership committed to a more affordable city. More critically, they seek to condemn rent stabilized tenants to a continuation of unwarranted rent increases. There are several metrics for determining whether past rent adjustments have been appropriate. Public debate over rent increases routinely apply misleading metrics and miscast the relevant data."

Mayor Eric Adams appointed new members to the Rent Guidelines Board to block a promised rent freeze for one million rent-stabilized households. Three public members—Alex Armlovich, Arpit Gupta, and Liam Finn—now hold terms that expire at the end of 2026. Those appointments override customary deference to an incoming mayor and threaten continuation of unwarranted rent increases. The Rent Guidelines Board is charged with limiting the effects of the housing shortage on rent rises. Landlords should be able to collect rents that cover operating costs and preserve income against inflation. The rent-stabilization system also guards against exploitative increases by landlords. Annual hearings produce many statistics, but only a few metrics indicate whether past rent adjustments were appropriate.

Read at City Limits