Rent Stabilization is Left Alone

The United States Supreme Court denied a writ of certiorari filed by James and Jeanne Harmon of Manhattan who were seeking to have New York City's Rent Stabilization Law declared unconstitutional as an improper taking of his property. The Harmons' application attracted a great deal of media attention because the High Court had asked New York to file a brief opposing the application (an unusual step that seemed to indicate that the High Court was interested in taking the case).With the denial of the application, the Rent Stabilization Law (and the rent stabilization code that is promulgated pursuant to the Law) is left undisturbed by the Court. Those of us who are interested in the quirks of rent stabilization should have many more years to fight our fights over undervalued and underutilized apartments.