New York City Comptroller and mayoral hopeful Brad Lander is calling for a one-year rent freeze.
"We had several years of allowing landlords to catch up," Lander told Hell Gate. "This is a year to allow tenants to catch up."
Some of Lander's rivals in the Democratic primary have pledged to freeze the rent for the two million New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized units once they're elected—including Queens State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos and former Bronx Assemblymember Michael Blake.
Lander has been criticized for not making the same promise, instead insisting that his decision would be determined by data. But right now the numbers are saying, "freeze the rent."
"It's not the first time I've called for a rent freeze," Lander said. "It's just every year I want to see the data before I express an opinion on what I think the increases should be."
The comptroller will announce his support for a one-year rent freeze later today at the always-contentious Rent Guidelines Board owner and tenant testimony meeting.