Rent Barons

Who Is Behind Rising Rents in America?

Powerful interests, including a real estate tech company and private equity firms, are contributing to soaring rents.

Impact of Our Reporting

DOJ and RealPage Agree to Settle Rental Price-Fixing Case

by Heather Vogell

November 26, 2025, 3:05 pm EST

America’s Largest Landlord Makes Deal With DOJ to Settle Price-Fixing Claims in RealPage Case

by Heather Vogell

August 12, 2025, 11:40 am EDT

Justice Department Sues Six of the Nation’s Largest Landlords in Effort to Stop Alleged Price-Fixing in Rental Markets

by Heather Vogell

January 9, 2025, 5:00 am EST

DOJ Files Antitrust Suit Against RealPage, Maker of Rent-Setting Algorithm

by Heather Vogell

August 23, 2024, 3:45 pm EDT

DOJ Backs Tenants in Case Alleging Price-Fixing by Big Landlords and a Real Estate Tech Company

by Heather Vogell

November 16, 2023, 2:05 pm EST

Senators Had Questions for the Maker of a Rent-Setting Algorithm. The Answers Were “Alarming.”

by Heather Vogell

March 21, 2023, 7:00 am EDT

Department of Justice Opens Investigation Into Real Estate Tech Company Accused of Collusion with Landlords

by Heather Vogell

November 23, 2022, 5:00 am EST

More Senate Democrats Seek Investigation of Tech Firm Accused of Colluding With Landlords to Hike Apartment Rents

by Heather Vogell

November 17, 2022, 11:00 am EST

Pressure Grows on Real Estate Tech Company Accused of Colluding With Landlords to Jack Up Apartment Rents

by Heather Vogell

November 14, 2022, 1:00 pm EST

Senator Seeks Antitrust Review of Apartment Price-Setting Software

by Heather Vogell

November 1, 2022, 2:10 pm EDT

15 stories published since 2022

We Found That Landlords Could Be Using Algorithms to Fix Rent Prices. Now Lawmakers Want to Make the Practice Illegal.

by Heather Vogell

January 30, 2024, 1:15 pm EST
Company That Makes Rent-Setting Software for Apartments Accused of Collusion, Lawsuit Says

by Heather Vogell

October 21, 2022, 1:10 pm EDT
Rent Going Up? One Company’s Algorithm Could Be Why.

by Heather Vogell, ProPublica, with data analysis by Haru Coryne, ProPublica, and Ryan Little

October 15, 2022, 5:00 am EDT
How Your Shadow Credit Score Could Decide Whether You Get an Apartment

by Erin Smith, and Heather Vogell, ProPublica

March 29, 2022, 6:00 am EDT
When Private Equity Becomes Your Landlord

by Heather Vogell

February 7, 2022, 10:25 am EST