The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a major property-rights challenge to rent control laws in New York City and elsewhere that give tenants a right to stay for many years in an apartment with a below-market cost.
A group of New York landlords had sued, contending the combination of rent regulation and long-term occupancy violated the Constitution’s ban on the taking of private property for public use.
The justices had considered the appeal since late September. Only Justice Clarence Thomas issued a partial dissent.
Not every case has enough legal merit for the Supreme Court. Given that they declined the case, the obvious signal is that it’s allowed.
This is good. Rent control is a local issue and I don’t see a need to involve the federal government.
The supreme court only takes a few cases every year. When they turn a case down that is meaningless - they can take it again in the future or not. When they take one that is a signal, but they might not take this one only because they think they have enough else to do [and so won’t have time to do it justice].
Yeah I disagree with the idea that it is allowed just because they didn’t take the case. They are just saying this particular case doesn’t meet the standards they need. One doesn’t equal the other