DOJ Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against RealPage

The Justice Department, alongside attorneys general from eight states, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, Inc., alleging that its software facilitates illegal coordination among landlords to inflate rental prices. The lawsuit claims that RealPage's algorithms leverage confidential data from landlords, allowing them to align pricing strategies and eliminate competitive pricing practices, thereby raising rents for millions of renters. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Americans should not have to pay higher rents due to corporate misconduct, emphasizing the scheme's legality issues. RealPage maintains that its technology promotes competition and disputes the allegations, asserting that they lack merit. This legal action reflects the Biden administration's broader antitrust initiatives targeting anti-competitive practices across various industries. The lawsuit is grounded in findings from a 2022 ProPublica investigation that linked RealPage’s practices to rising housing costs.