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State Officials Defend Law as Essential Protection for Renters

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill in October as part of a broader legislative effort to expand homeownership and strengthen tenant protections. Local municipalities have passed similar measures, and congressional Democrats have floated a federal version.

A spokesperson for the governor said Hochul backed the law to protect renters from landlords “illegally jacking up rents” and accused RealPage of seeking to preserve inflated pricing practices.

“Now, the company that makes its profits by helping landlords collude and break the law is suing to keep those illegal rent hikes going,” the statement said. “We’re not backing down.”

RealPage Challenges the Evidence Behind the Law

The company’s complaint argues the law was based largely on a 2022 ProPublica article that RealPage claims contains “incorrect and misleading” claims about its platform. It also cites an op-ed from Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal blaming rising rents on landlord software—an argument RealPage says ignores research showing rent increases stem primarily from a lack of housing supply.

The company also accuses lawmakers of disregarding evidence that its software reduces vacancies by recommending rent levels aligned with demand. RealPage says legislators failed to explain why existing antitrust laws were insufficient to prevent any potential collusion.

Legal Teams Square Off as Case Moves Forward

RealPage is represented by Gibson Dunn’s Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., Jay Srinivasan, Bradley J. Hamburger, Alexander N. Harris, Connor S. Sullivan, Jacob U. Arber, Michael Klurfeld and Iason Togias.

Boutrous called the New York law “a misguided effort” that attempts to regulate housing affordability by infringing RealPage’s right to offer “constitutionally protected speech.”

A representative for the New York Attorney General’s Office declined to comment, and counsel for the office was not immediately identifiable.