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NYC Rent Guidelines Board approves 2-year rent freeze, fulfilling Mamdani campaign pledge
By
David Brand
Published Jun 25, 2026
Modified Jun 25, 2026
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David Brand / Gothamist
By
David Brand
Published Jun 25, 2026
Modified Jun 25, 2026
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Tenants in about 1 million rent-stabilized apartments will not see their rents increase for the next two years after New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board approved a first-of-its-kind freeze at an annual hearing Thursday night.
The 7-1 vote marks the first two-year rent freeze in the board’s history and fulfills a key campaign pledge from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who named six of the board’s nine members.
The decision applies to rent-stabilized apartments in buildings with six or more units built before 1974, as well as apartments in buildings that receive certain tax breaks or government subsidies. The freeze applies to new one- and two-year leases beginning between Oct. 1, 2026, and Sept. 30, 2027.
Hundreds of tenants packed the theater at El Museo del Barrio, singing and chanting about tenant power ahead of the board’s decision. Many in attendance, who had helped propel Mamdani’s successful campaign for mayor, which featured a viral vow to “freeze the rent,” held signs demanding a rent freeze. At least one attendee blew a whistle to punctuate the slogans resonating through the auditorium.
The tension peaked before owner representative Maksim Wynn cast the board's final vote. As he read a lengthy statement saying that policymakers should focus on "reducing expenses rather than raising rent," tenants interrupted with chants and whistles before erupting in cheers when he voted in favor of the freeze.
After the vote, tenants spilled into the street to celebrate.
"Organized tenants made history today," New York State Tenant Bloc Executive Director Sumathy Kumar said in a statement.
Mamdani's promise to "freeze the rent" for millions of tenants fueled his successful campaign for mayor last year. During Mayor Eric Adams' four years in office, the board approved annual rent increases totaling about 12% on one-year leases. The board had previously approved three one-year rent freezes, all during Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration.
Despite Mamdani’s campaign pledge, the mayor alone does not determine the annual rent increase or freeze. Instead, the mayor appoints members of the Rent Guidelines Board who are tasked with examining financial data and considering testimony from tenants and landlords before casting their final vote.
The board voted last month to consider a range of possible outcomes, from a two-year freeze to a 2% increase on one-year leases and a 4% increase on two-year leases.
Landlord groups assailed that vote, saying owners need to increase revenue much higher to keep up with their own rising costs on insurance, fuel and labor.
"The Rent Guidelines Board ignored its own data and made a terrible decision tonight," Real Estate Board of New York President James Whelan said in a statement.
New York state rent laws cap how much property owners can increase prices on regulated apartments, placing significant pressure on the board’s annual decision.
Hours before the vote, property owner representative Christina Smyth resigned from the board. In a statement shared with Gothamist, Smyth said the board had crossed a “legal line” by pursuing a rent freeze despite data she said contradicted the decision.
In a statement after the vote, Mamdani said the decision reflected the Rent Guidelines Board's independent review of financial data and public testimony.
"This is a historic victory for New York City tenants," Mamdani said. "After reviewing the data and hearing from New Yorkers across the city, 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. This is the relief that working people across our city deserve."
Policy experts have said the city’s rent stabilization system preserves affordable housing for tens of thousands of renters, who are protected from exorbitant and unpredictable rent increases. A report released Monday by the anti-poverty group Robin Hood found rent regulations kept roughly 140,000 New Yorkers from slipping below the poverty line.
“New York City faces a profound affordability crisis,” said Robin Hood CEO Richard Buery, a former deputy mayor. “Families in stabilized apartments are already cutting back on food, utilities, and basic necessities just to stay housed.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Tagged
Zohran Mamdani
housing
new york city
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
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