Council Should Vote No on Ordinance Banning Rent Algorithms

On May 21, Jersey City will vote on Ordinances 25-056 and 25-057, proposals to ban the use of algorithmic pricing software—tools that help landlords analyze market conditions to price their units accurately. According to critics, this software allows landlords to “maximize profit,” which they think creates an uncompetitive market. That argument misunderstands how markets work. Supply and demand is not price manipulation—it is the mechanism of free exchange.

Algorithmic pricing tools are now a fi...