Housing Policy

Mamdani Got His Rent Freeze Wish. Don't Expect New York City Housing To Become More Affordable.

The NYC Rent Guidelines Board voted to freeze rent for approximately 1 million apartments on Thursday night.

Meagan O'Rourke | 6.26.2026 3:05 PM

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(Ron Adar/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom/Adani Samat)

Two days after three of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's endorsed congressional candidates won their elections in the New York primaries, the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) delivered another win for the mayor. 

On Thursday night, the board voted 7–1 to freeze the rent for 1 million apartments in the city. The rent freeze applies to both one- and two-year leases, and prevents rent increases for more than 40 percent of apartments in the city, reports The New York Times. Those apartments that are covered by the freeze include "high-rise luxury apartments, deeply affordable subsidized units and 150-year-old walk-ups," according to the Times.  

Freezing the rent was one of Mamdani's key campaign promises (remember this?), and one that depended on support from the RGB, which is now........

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