Texts Reveal Coordination Between Mayor's Office and Rent Guidelines Board

Hundreds of text messages and emails exchanged between top aides to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and members of the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) have been released, offering a detailed look at the administration's interactions with the board responsible for setting rent adjustments for stabilized apartments.

The property owners challenging Mamdani's rent freeze, which took full effect recently, submitted these communications as evidence in court. Mamdani had campaigned on a promise of zero percent rent adjustments for four consecutive years and appointed six of the nine RGB members, including Chair Chantella Mitchell.

Despite Mamdani's repeated characterization of the RGB as an "independent board," evidence indicates significant collaboration. At least eight administration officials communicated with RGB members and staff, with Arvind Sindhwani, deputy chief of staff to Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg, reportedly in contact with the board over 100 times, primarily with Mitchell.

Specific instances of alleged coordination include Sindhwani requesting the RGB's preliminary vote date be moved from April 30 to May 7, a change later confirmed by Mitchell. Sindhwani also requested to review the list of speakers invited to testify before the board, and Mitchell provided him with updates. Further, on June 16, hours before the final public hearing and after the deadline for testimony, Mitchell emailed Sindhwani a draft of the board's explanatory statement, which closely resembled the final version.

The Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice was also reportedly granted special permission to submit additional evidence after the June 16 deadline, submitting materials on "True Cost of Living" on June 24, the day before the vote.

Christina Smyth, an Eric Adams appointee who resigned from the RGB, described the deliberations as "theater" and stated the record was "being built to fit a decision that was made before the first hearing was held." The RGB's final explanatory statement did not provide a rationale for the 0% rent increase, despite the noted increase in owner costs.

The plaintiffs argue that this alleged meddling undermines the board's independence, which is designed to balance the interests of owners, tenants, and the public by considering economic factors such as operating costs, property taxes, and vacancy rates. They contend that if the rent freeze is upheld, future mayors could similarly influence rent adjustments, potentially leading to financial distress for owners of rent-stabilized buildings. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the rent freeze and compel the RGB to issue a new decision with a documented rationale for any rent increase adopted.