DOJ Antitrust Division Responds to Public Comments on Willow Bridge Property Company Proposed Final Judgment

RealPage Antitrust Response Filed

Willow Bridge Property Company must abandon software that pools competitor pricing data under a proposed final judgment submitted by the United States Department of Justice, as published in the Federal Register.

The filing advances federal antitrust enforcement targeting algorithmic rent setting.

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina received the government’s formal response to public comments regarding Defendant Willow Bridge Property Company, LLC. Two public comments were submitted during the statutory 60-day window following notice published in the Washington Post and the Greensboro News and Record.

August 2024 Antitrust Complaint

The United States, along with several states, initiated the legal battle on August 23, 2024, by filing a civil antitrust complaint against RealPage, Inc. Plaintiffs later amended the complaint on January 7, 2025, to add Willow Bridge and five other landlords as defendants. The government alleges that Willow Bridge violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act by sharing confidential transactional data with RealPage.

Licensing agreements allowed RealPage to collect daily, nonpublic information from participating landlords regarding lease renewals, terms, and pricing.

Willow Bridge must follow strict operational restrictions and compliance policies

The proposed final judgment imposes strict operational restrictions on Willow Bridge to prevent future anticompetitive coordination. Willow Bridge cannot license or use any revenue management product that relies on third-party nonpublic data or pools information from properties with different owners. The company must also institute a written antitrust compliance policy and appoint a chief antitrust compliance officer.

RealPage et al. If the company utilizes permitted revenue management software, it must obtain specific compliance certifications or face oversight from a court-appointed monitor. The notice was issued by Suzanne Morris, Deputy Director of Civil Enforcement Operations for the Antitrust Division.

The court evaluates if the consent judgment serves the public interest

Federal law requires the court to evaluate whether the proposed consent judgment serves the public interest under the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act. District judges apply a limited standard of review that grants broad discretion to executive agencies settling antitrust claims. Deference is given to the government’s assessment that agreed-upon remedies will effectively cure alleged market distortions.

The United States will formally move the court to enter the proposed Final Judgment following publication of its response in the Federal Register. Court approval will terminate the action specifically regarding claims against Willow Bridge. The Court will retain jurisdiction to construe, modify, or enforce the provisions of the proposed Final Judgment and to punish violations.

What software products and public comments appear in the complaint?

How many public comments did the Department of Justice receive?

The Antitrust Division received exactly two public comments during the 60-day review period following notices published in July 2026.

What happens if Willow Bridge violates the final judgment terms?

The company will become subject to a court-appointed monitor if the district court finds any future breach of the consent decree provisions.