Lone RGB dissenter says there was no City Hall interference in rent freeze vote, but warns cost relief must follow

Arpit Gupta, a Rent Guidelines Board member, denied interference from Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration in the rent freeze vote, despite owner representative Christina Smyth's resignation allegations. Gupta warned that repeated rent freezes without cost relief could strain rent-stabilized housing, emphasizing the need for measures like property tax or insurance relief to offset rising owner costs.