For renters in New York, renting costs can quickly spiral, which can mean the difference between a budgetable lease structure and a financial crisis. Authorities in the area have taken notice and implemented measures to assist tenants.
After being sued for failing to enroll, a Brooklyn landlord will return every apartment at 1075 Dean Street in Crown Heights to rent stabilization under the first settlement reached through a new state compliance program, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.
Here's what to know
At 1075 Dean Street, every apartment must now be treated as rent-stabilized under an agreement announced by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Her office said landlord John Anderson has 120 days to provide tenants with rent-stabilized leases, 180 days to reimburse any overcharges, and must also fix hazardous conditions in the building, according to 6sqft.
This is the first settlement completed through a state compliance program that aims to enforce de facto rent stabilization. Since launching in May 2025, the program has blocked 27 evictions and returned 131 units to rent stabilization.
Before this agreement, James had filed a June lawsuit against Anderson and landlord Claudette Henry, accusing them of overcharging tenants and failing to register regulated apartments.
"New York City's rent stabilization laws are clear, and my office will not hesitate to enforce them," James said.
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James' office said Anderson received compliance letters in August 2025 and still did not come into compliance.
More background
At the heart of the case is a de facto rent stabilization doctrine. While New York City buildings are generally exempt from rent stabilization if they were built after 1974 or have fewer than six apartments, a pre-1974 building with five or fewer units can still qualify if it was altered to contain at least six apartments.
City records list the building at 1075 Dean Street as having three units, though the Department of Buildings cited Anderson multiple times for illegal partitions and extensions inside units. The building also has more than 130 open violations.
The attorney general's office alleged that Anderson went 10 years without providing stabilized leases, misrepresented the building's status on a Department of Buildings application, and had a friend pose as him in court.
One tenant also said Anderson shut off her gas, water, and electricity after she requested a rent-stabilized lease.
What's being done?
James' office contacted more than 50 landlords after their properties were found to be de facto rent-stabilized yet unregistered with the state's Homes and Community Renewal, requiring owners to show they were actually exempt.
As James put it, "We created this compliance program to ensure that all New York City tenants are treated fairly and that all landlords are following the law. I am proud of the success this program has already shown, and I will continue to stand up for every New York tenant."
Where can I learn more?
For more on tenant rights, housing rules, and landlord disputes, these stories offer more insight. They cover building regulations, appliance restrictions, and utility fee disputes.
• In New York City, building owners are fighting a new law over costly emissions limits.
• At a New York co-op, a renter was blocked from putting in an induction stove.
• One renter said a landlord tried charging extra for utilities after an EV was plugged in.
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