New York City’s rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments took effect Oct. 1, giving roughly 2 million New Yorkers greater stability as new and renewed leases begin under the city’s 2026-27 rent guidelines, according to a press release from NYS Tenant Bloc.
The Rent Guidelines Board approved a 0 percent adjustment for both one-year and two-year leases beginning between Oct. 1, 2026 and Sept. 30, 2027. The decision fulfills a campaign promise made by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The board previously imposed rent freezes, including in 2020, but this is the first time it has approved a two-year rent freeze.
“This historic two-year rent freeze will change the lives of two million tenants across the city," said Sumathy Kumar, NYS Tenant Bloc executive director. "Tenants run this city, we are the people who drive the buses, pick up the trash, teach in the schools, and take care of our elders. The rent freeze is just a beginning, we are organizing with our neighbors to win dignified, stable homes that are the foundation of our lives."
Research from the Community Service Society found that half of rent-stabilized tenants are struggling to make ends meet, that two-thirds lack emergency savings and that evictions in rent-stabilized buildings jumped nearly 12 percent in 2025.
The analysis reported that landlords’ net operating income increased by more than 30 percent over three years, and that a rent freeze could save New Yorkers up to $7 billion.
The policy covers approximately 1 million rent-stabilized apartments across New York City. The Rent Guidelines Board’s decision followed months of debate involving tenant organizations, housing advocates and landlord representatives.
For Brooklyn tenants, the change comes after a period of rent increases and continued concerns about housing costs and building conditions. The previous guidelines allowed increases of 3 percent for one-year leases and 4.5 percent for two-year leases.
The freeze applies through Sept. 30, 2027. Tenant organizations are expected to continue organizing around rent stabilization, affordability and housing conditions, while the policy also faces legal challenges from landlord groups.
