New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the first landlord settlement under a state program aimed at enforcing rent stabilization in New York City buildings that have been determined to be subject to the law.
Under the agreement, Brooklyn landlord John Anderson will return the units at 1075 Dean St. in Crown Heights to rent-stabilized status, providing stabilized leases to tenants and address hazardous conditions at the property.
The settlement was announced Sept. 28, 2026, after the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against Anderson in June. The office had first sent Anderson a compliance letter in Aug. 2025 after determining that 1075 Dean St. was subject to rent stabilization.
“New York City’s rent stabilization laws are clear, and my office will not hesitate to enforce them,” said James. “We created this compliance program to ensure that all New York City tenants are treated fairly and that all landlords are following the law. I am proud of the success this program has already shown, and I will continue to stand up for every New York tenant.”
The June lawsuit alleged that Anderson had failed for about 10 years to provide rent-stabilized leases to tenants.
Under the de facto rent-stabilization doctrine described by the Attorney General’s Office, certain buildings that once reached six or more units can remain subject to rent stabilization even if the number of units later falls below six.
The initiative began in May 2025, with the Attorney General’s Office sending compliance letters to more than 50 New York City landlords whose buildings had been identified as subject to rent stabilization but were not registered with the state.
Landlords were given an opportunity to demonstrate that their properties were exempt or to bring them into compliance.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the program has so far prevented 27 evictions, resulted in 30 landlords certifying compliance and returned 131 units to rent stabilization.
The Anderson settlement adds another Brooklyn building to that effort, with tenants at 1075 Dean St. now set to receive stabilized leases while required building conditions are addressed.
