James D. Harmon, Jr., owns an apartment building on West 76th Street near Central Park in New York City. Three of his apartments are subject to rent control, a long-time city program designed to maintain affordable housing in the very expensive Manhattan market. The rent-stabilized tenants were paying rent at 59 percent below market rates, according to Harmon.
a. Harmon called rent control “privatized welfare.” Explain what he meant.
b. Harmon challenged the rent restriction. What constitutional law claim(s) was(were) raised by Harmon?
c. Who won the case? Explain.