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Antitrust suit alleges Compass pulled StreetEasy listings to raise NYC rents
The complaint says plaintiffs paid $5,270 per month, compared with a $4,390 July 2026 median asking rent, and is seeking damages plus injunctive relief.
A federal antitrust complaint filed in the Southern District of New York alleges that Compass International used market power in rental search to limit listing visibility on StreetEasy, with the lawsuit linking the conduct to higher rents for New York City renters.
According to the complaint, plaintiffs Peter Castaneda and Haley Gelfand argue that Compass, after acquisitions, created or maintained monopoly power that reduced consumer choice and benefited competitors such as its brokerage network, including by pulling rental listings from the Zillow-owned StreetEasy earlier this month.
The filing also says Compass directed agents to delist properties from StreetEasy before the fall housing market and to instead use a “participant only” designation through the Real Estate Board of New York’s Residential Listing Service, a setting that prevents listings from being syndicated or shown on public-facing websites.
HousingWire reports the plaintiffs are seeking damages, a jury trial, injunctive relief, and class action status for NYC-area renters, and the complaint cites a $5,270 monthly rent paid by plaintiffs versus a July 2026 median asking rent of $4,390.