• Nestor Davidson, Harvard University
• David J. Reiss, Cornell Law SchoolFollow

Article

3-18-2026

New York City Rent Guidelines Board, Rent stabilization, Rent control, Rent freeze

Housing Law | State and Local Government Law | Urban Studies

In Can Mayor Mamdani Freeze the Rent? It’s Complicated, former New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) chairs Nestor Davidson and David Reiss examine the legal and policy realities behind Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promise to freeze rents for the city’s approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments. The authors explain that, although the mayor appoints members of the RGB, state law grants the board—not the mayor—the authority to set annual rent adjustments using statutory criteria and economic data. They argue that the RGB must independently evaluate evidence concerning tenant affordability, landlord operating costs, and the overall health of the city’s housing stock rather than simply implement a political agenda. By clarifying common misconceptions about New York’s rent-stabilization system and the decision-making responsibilities of the RGB, the article highlights the tension between housing affordability goals, property maintenance needs, and legal governance requirements, concluding that any effort to achieve a rent freeze must operate within a complex framework of law, economics, and public policy.

This abstract was written using a generative AI tool and is used here with the permission of the authors.

Nestor Davidson and David J. Reiss, "Can Mayor Mamdani Freeze the Rent? It’s Complicated," Vital City (March 18, 2026)

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