As New York City grapples with a severe housing crisis, a looming rent freeze threatens to exacerbate the issue, potentially turning more rent-stabilized units into notorious "zombie apartments." These vacant, uninhabitable properties have become a plague in the city, often left abandoned and neglected by landlords who can no longer afford to maintain them due to rent regulations. With the rent freeze set to take effect, some worry that it will create a perfect storm for zombie apartments, as landlords may be less incentivized to keep up with repairs and maintenance, ultimately leaving tenants and the city to bear the consequences. As the city struggles to balance affordability with property rights, the fate of these units hangs in the balance.
New York’s rent freeze will turn more rent-stabilized units into unlivable “zombie apartments.”
