US DOJ Responds to Public Comments on Proposed Final Judgment for Willow Bridge
The United States filed its response to public comments regarding a proposed final judgment for Willow Bridge Property Company, LLC in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit, the Antitrust Division announced.
Filing the Response
The United States submitted its formal response to two public comments concerning the proposed Final Judgment for Willow Bridge Property Company, LLC (Doc. 200-1), according to the Antitrust Division. Following careful review, the government maintains that the proposed judgment offers an appropriate remedy for the antitrust violations alleged in the litigation.
The action unfolds in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina under Civil Action No. 24-cv-00710. Once the response and public comments appear in the Federal Register pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 16(d), the United States will move the court to enter the proposed Final Judgment.
Expanding the Antitrust Complaint
On August 23, 2024, the United States and several state plaintiffs initiated a civil antitrust complaint against RealPage, Inc. (Doc. 1). Plaintiffs subsequently filed an amended civil complaint on January 7, 2025, adding Willow Bridge and five other landlords as defendants.
The amended filing alleges that Willow Bridge agreements with RealPage and competing landlords to share information and align pricing violate Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The complaint seeks to enjoin defendants from exploiting competitively sensitive data.
Proposing the Final Judgment
On July 6, 2026, the United States filed a proposed Final Judgment as to Willow Bridge alongside a Stipulation and Proposed Order (Doc. 200) in which the company consented to the terms. The filing aims to remedy the loss of competition stemming from Willow Bridge conduct.
The United States published the complaint, proposed final judgment, and a competitive impact statement in the Federal Register on July 16, 2026. Notice also appeared in the Washington Post and the Greensboro News and Record between July 14 and July 21, 2026, opening a 60-day public comment period that has now concluded.
Restrictions on Willow Bridge
The proposed final judgment imposes strict requirements on Willow Bridge to address anticompetitive concerns. Willow Bridge must not license or use any revenue management product that relies on third-party nonpublic data to set prices or pools information from properties with different owners.
The terms also bar Willow Bridge from disclosing or using competitors’ sensitive pricing information, require full cooperation in the ongoing proceeding, and mandate the adoption of a written antitrust compliance policy overseen by a designated chief antitrust compliance officer. Willow Bridge must also permit government document inspections and employee interviews, and accept a court-appointed monitor if future violations occur.
Reviewing Public Interest
Under the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, known as the Tunney Act, courts must determine whether entering a proposed consent judgment is in the public interest. Judicial review focuses on the competitive impact, adequacy of relief, clarity of terms, and enforcement mechanisms.
Federal courts maintain limited inquiry in these settlements, granting executive agencies broad discretion to resolve antitrust matters. Upon court entry of the proposed Final Judgment, the action will terminate regarding the United States claims against Willow Bridge, while the court retains jurisdiction for enforcement and modification.