Rental Ripoff Hearings Coming Soon Near You

“Rental Ripoff” hearings in all five boroughs will offer New Yorkers a microphone to share poor conditions, unconscionable business practices that the City will act on

Mayor Mamdani Announces Formation of “Rental Ripoff” Hearings

“Rental Ripoff” hearings in all five boroughs will offer New Yorkers a microphone to share poor conditions, unconscionable business practices that City will act on

NEW YORK, NY — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani today signed an executive order directing the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, the Department of Buildings, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, in coordination with the new Office of Mass Engagement, to hold “Rental Ripoff” hearings across the five boroughs within the first 100 days of the administration. At these hearings, working New Yorkers will be able to speak about the challenges they face – from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments. Following these hearings, the Mamdani administration will publish a summary and report detailing common themes and areas of opportunity, and the testimony shared at these hearings will directly inform policy interventions to take on these ripoff tactics. Details about the hearings will be available at nyc.gov/RentalRipoff.

In the first week of his Administration, Mayor Mamdani is already making it clear that tenants in New York City have a champion in City Hall. On day one, he passed an executive order rebuilding the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and appointed Cea Weaver—who was instrumental in the passage of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019—to lead it.

“There is no economic justice without safe, quality, affordable housing New Yorkers can live in. This is not just about building new housing, it’s also about enforcing the laws in existing housing,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “Through the Rental Ripoff hearings, City Hall will not only be listening, we will take action to ensure that the law is followed without exception and that New Yorkers know their rights when it comes to the often hidden or deceptive fees associated with the hunt for housing."

“For too long, tenants have been ripped off without recourse or protection. Our Rental Ripoff hearings will give working people across the five boroughs a microphone to highlight the challenges they face and make New York City government a truly participatory endeavor,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office of to Protect Tenants. “By hearing from New Yorkers about the challenges they have faced, we can bring a truly comprehensive approach to address the shoddy conditions, hidden fees, and other ripoffs that have persisted until now.”

“Amid an affordability crisis crushing millions of working New Yorkers, tenants are being burdened by excessive and hidden fees — from amenity fees to processing fees. This administration will make sure every New Yorker knows their rights and knows they have a champion in city government who will not back down from the fight to make this city more affordable, fair, and just,” said Sam Levine, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.

Executive Order No.8

January 4, 2026

Protecting Tenants from Rental Ripoffs and Abusive Landlord Practices

WHEREAS, the majority of New Yorkers are tenants who are entitled to safe and habitable homes, free from unsafe living conditions; and

WHEREAS, negligent and dishonest landlords must no longer endanger the health and safety of New Yorkers through hazardous code violations, untimely repairs, repeated noncompliance, and unlawful fees and price-gouging; and

WHEREAS, many tenants face abusive landlord practices such as deceptive or hidden fees, retaliation for advocating for their rights, poor housing conditions, economic discrimination, abusive eviction practices, or neglect of needed repairs; and

WHEREAS, such practices threaten New Yorkers’ rights as tenants and consumers and make the City less affordable, less safe, and less healthy for all; and

WHEREAS, abusive practices in the rental market hurt the economy of the entire City, threaten the ability of New Yorkers to thrive, and can harm honest entities and businesses; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the City to coordinate across agencies to protect tenants and improve housing quality by using all available tools to enforce housing and consumer protection laws;

NOW, THEREFORE, by the power vested in me as Mayor of the City of New York, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Establishment of “Rental Ripoff” Hearings. The Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (“MOPT”), the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”), the Department of Buildings (“DOB”), and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (“DCWP”), in coordination with the Office of Mass Engagement (“OME”), shall organize and conduct a series of public hearings to hear from tenants, tenant organizations, social services agencies, advocacy organizations, legal service providers, landlords, property managers, and other members of the public about illegal, unfair, abusive, deceptive, or unconscionable landlord practices as well as operational improvements that the City should adopt to strengthen housing and building code enforcement. MOPT, HPD, DOB, and DCWP shall conduct at least one hearing in each of the five boroughs; the hearings shall occur within one hundred days of the date of this order.

§ 2. Agency cooperation. All mayoral agencies with relevant expertise or at the request of MOPT, including, but not limited to the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, and the Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics, shall cooperate with the MOPT, HPD, DOB, and DCWP to facilitate and coordinate these hearings. MOPT shall request the participation of the New York City Commission on Human Rights at such hearings.

§ 3. Public report. Within ninety days of the last hearing, MOPT, HPD, DOB, and DCWP shall submit a joint summary and report to the Mayor detailing common themes and problems raised by the public at the hearings. The report shall also propose a plan for the City to address harmful landlord practices through existing enforcement powers, improved housing and building code enforcement, consumer protection powers, and policy changes. Such plan shall be designed to ensure that violations are logged and corrected on a significantly faster timeline, and shall include, but not be limited to, enhanced coordination among agencies and between agencies and the public. Such a report shall be posted on MOPT, HPD, DOB, and DCWP’s publicly accessible webpage.

§ 4. Enforcement Priorities. All mayoral agencies, including, but not limited to, MOPT, HPD, DCWP, DOB, and the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement shall prioritize the faithful enforcement of laws protecting tenants and the provision of relief to those wronged or harmed by abusive landlord practices. Such agencies shall engage the New York City Commission on Human Rights as required to ensure compliance with the New York City Human Rights Law.

§ 5. This order shall take effect immediately.

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Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Mayor