Max Politics Alex Armlovich on the Rent Guidelines Board, Mamdani's Rent Freeze Pledge, & Housing Policy
Oct 28, 2025
Alex Armlovich, a Senior Housing Policy Analyst and member of NYC's Rent Guidelines Board, dives into the complexities of housing policy. He discusses the RGB's role, comparing it to utility regulators, and the challenges of balancing rents and operating costs. Armlovich highlights the repercussions of broad rent freezes, warning they could lead to building bankruptcies. He also talks about policy tools to aid distressed buildings and the importance of accurate data in assessing housing viability, advocating for proactive, technocratic solutions.
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Significant Share Of Buildings Are Financially Fragile
- About 10% of buildings are currently underwater on operating income versus expenses, with the next decile close behind.
- Multiple consecutive freezes while costs rise would push many buildings into bankruptcy or abandonment.
Koch-Era Building Abandonment Recalled
- In the Koch era many landlords abandoned buildings and handed keys to the city, creating massive in-rem transfers.
- Those rescues cost the city hundreds of millions and show bankruptcy is not a free lunch for public housing goals.
Lower Building Costs Before Any Freeze
- Reduce core operating costs (insurance, scaffold law, tax incentives) before imposing a long freeze.
- Deliver credible, implemented cost-reduction reforms to make a freeze legally and fiscally defensible.