Rent Guidelines Board Order #30 No Longer Delayed

Facts: After the Rent Regulation Reform Act of 1997 was passed, the Rent Guidelines Board was ordered to do a study on the effect of the new statutory vacancy increase on recent rents. The results of the study were withheld by the RGB chairman from other RGB members. They sued to stop the implementation of the 1998 rent guidelines, claiming that the study results should have been distributed before the new guidelines were voted on. The court granted a temporary delay of the new guidelines while it reviewed the case. Court: The RGB chairman was ordered to release the report, which was designated as a draft, to other RGB members within 48 hours. However, the demand for a new vote on this year's rent guidelines was denied. The new annual rent guidelines were set to go into effect on Oct. 1, 1998, and landlords had to give rent-stabilized tenants whose leases expired on Sept. 30, 1998 notice of applicable renewal lease rates between 120 and 150 days before Sept. 30. To require a new vote would be too disruptive to the public.

Rosenfeld v. The NYC Rent Guidelines Board: NYLJ, p. 21, col. 2 (8/5/98) (Sup. Ct. NY; York, J)