Attorney General James Files First Lawsuits Under Rent Stabilization Compliance Program
To Date, De Facto Rent Stabilization Compliance Program Has Prevented 26 Evictions and Returned 91 Units to Rent Stabilization
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed the first lawsuits against two New York City landlords as part of her office’s compliance program focused on enforcing “de facto” rent stabilization in buildings throughout New York City. Following the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974, de facto rent stabilization was created as a judicial doctrine to allow buildings with five or fewer units built before 1974 to become rent stabilized if the building was altered – legally or illegally – to have six or more units. Since its launch in May 2025, the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) de facto rent stabilization compliance program has successfully prevented 26 evictions and secured the return of 91 units to rent stabilization…