Before the Rent Guidelines Board’s final vote Monday night at Cooper Union, Susie Shropp, an East Village resident, above, held up a “rent rollback” sign as the raucous crowd chanted for the R.G.B. to go beyond a mere rent freeze. In the end, the board called for a rent freeze on one-year lease renewals and a 2 percent increase for two-year renewals. But a rent freeze itself was historic, never having happened before in the R.G.B.’s 46 years. As the board’s vote became clear, Councilmember Corey Johnson, below, an early advocate for rolling back or freezing rents this year, chanted, “Si, se puede! Yes, we can!” and gave an exuberant two thumbs up.
