New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board voted Thursday to approve Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents for approximately 1 million rent-stabilized apartments, marking a major policy victory for the Democratic mayor and drawing celebrations from supporters across the city.
The independent board, whose members are appointed by the mayor, approved the measure in a 7-1 vote. The rent freeze applies to rent-stabilized apartments located in buildings constructed before 1974, as well as certain buildings that receive specific tax benefits.
The decision continues a practice that has precedent in New York City. Previous versions of the Rent Guidelines Board froze rents during the administration of former Mayor Bill de Blasio before later approving rent increases under former Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani’s predecessor.
Supporters gathered in East Harlem following the vote to celebrate the board’s decision. According to The New York Times, activists filled the streets near El Museo del Barrio, where the vote was held, sharing pizza, playing music and celebrating as Queen’s "We Are the Champions" played.
Mamdani praised the board’s action, calling the vote a significant milestone for tenants across the city.
“I’ll continue working to deliver a more affordable city by building and preserving affordable housing, lowering building operating costs like insurance, and ensuring tenants know their rights,” Mamdani said in a statement, describing the rent freeze as a “historic victory.”
The rent freeze fulfilled one of Mamdani’s signature campaign promises. Throughout his mayoral campaign, he argued that New York’s soaring housing costs required stronger protections for tenants and repeatedly criticized the Adams administration for allowing rents to increase during its four years in office.
Analysis from the nonprofit newsroom Community Service Society found that rent-stabilized apartments experienced a cumulative rent increase of 12.6 percent during Adams’s tenure as mayor. According to the organization, that total exceeded any cumulative rent increase recorded during former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s time in office.
Freezing rent has also been a central policy objective of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has argued that preventing rent increases would help residents remain in New York City as housing costs continue to rise.
The vote comes just days after several candidates endorsed by Mamdani defeated Democratic incumbents in House primary elections across New York.
Democratic socialist candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, both backed by Mamdani, won their races, with Avila Chevalier unseating Rep. Adriano Espaillat. Former mayoral candidate Brad Lander, another progressive supported by Mamdani, also defeated Rep. Dan Goldman.
Those contentious primary contests have left Mamdani at odds with many Democratic Party leaders.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries addressed those divisions on Wednesday, emphasizing the broad coalition that makes up the Democratic Party.
“I think for us as House Democrats, we’re just hopeful that everybody recognizes once we get through this primary season, that the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism,” Jeffries said during an appearance on MS NOW.
The rent freeze now stands as one of Mamdani’s most significant policy achievements to date, while also highlighting the broader political divisions that continue to shape New York’s Democratic Party.
