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.
The OAG is suing two New York City landlords, John Anderson and Claudette Henry, for failing to register units in Brooklyn as rent-stabilized with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) following prior court decisions that have found the buildings to be de facto rent stabilized. The lawsuits also allege that the landlords attempted to illegally evict tenants from their units and violated tenant harassment laws. Attorney General James is asking the court to order the buildings’ units returned to rent stabilization and refund all tenants who were overcharged with interest. Attorney General James is also seeking civil penalties for failing to register the buildings with HCR.
“Rent stabilization and tenant protection laws help keep working New Yorkers throughout our city in homes they can afford,” said Attorney General James. “My office will not shy away from taking immediate action against any landlord who fails to follow the law and attempts to overcharge or illegally evict tenants. Our housing laws are clear, and any landlord who violates them will be held accountable.”…