Your Mission

You just got a letter from your landlord, GreenTree Property Management, saying your rent is going up from $1,350 to $1,675 starting next month — a $325 jump. You've been in the apartment for 3 years with no issues. Your lease says rent increases require 60 days' written notice, but this letter came 34 days before the increase date. You also heard your city passed a rent stabilization ordinance last year that caps annual increases at 5%, but you're not sure if it applies to your building. You can't afford $1,675 — that would eat your entire grocery budget — but you also can't afford to move because first/last/deposit on a new place would cost over $4,000. You need to figure out if this increase is even legal, and if not, write a response that makes your landlord back down without destroying the relationship.