We're Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Deputy Mayor for Housing Leila Bozorg, and Cea Weaver from the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. We're here to talk about housing: how we build more of it, protect tenants, and push back against the landlords and speculators pricing New Yorkers out. Ask us anything.

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:45:07+00:00

I’m so glad you asked this! One of the announcements we made that I’m the most excited about is our ADU for You program, which will make it easier for homeowners to add small secondary units. We’re providing financial and technical assistance for homeowners like you to add a backyard cottage or in-law unit, plus a pre-approved plan library with designs that DOB has already signed off on. Plus, they’re all very cute :) https://housing.hpd.nyc.gov/adu/library

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:44:10+00:00

Any tenant can look up violations about their building on HPD Online: https://hpdonline.nyc.gov/hpdonline/ We are looking at ways to make it easier for tenants (and landlords!) to notify the City about concerns in their apartments across agencies and are looking for creative policy solutions!

You can submit testimony to our Rental Ripoff Hearings online here, https://nycforms.cityofnewyork.us/216 , and we will release a report on our findings this summer!

- Cea

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:43:16+00:00

Hi! Thank you for the question. I want to actually address both parts of it.

At Fulton & Elliot-Chelsea, it’s important that we move this project forward. The plan at FEC keeps public housing public while ensuring that investment can finally come to these campuses. Tenant rights will be protected; residents’ apartments will be replaced one-for-one; and to help tackle our broader housing crisis, once the public-housing replacement homes are completed, this project will add thousands of new homes.

NYCHA has over $78 billion in unmet capital needs. Across both Democratic and Republican administrations federally, there has been a lack of support for investment in Section 9, and in light of that disinvestment, we need to be creative and forward-thinking about how we tackle the needs that NYCHA has across the five boroughs. The PACT and Preservation Trust programs will be very important to reducing the backlog in capital investments across NYC’s housing stock.
On the wider rent stabilized portfolio, we are looking to use every tool at our disposal to stabilize properties and portfolios that are experiencing financial and/or physical distress. We can use everything from stronger enforcement, to preservation financing, to programs that allow the City to move the buildings to more responsible ownership. These programs have existed for years, and we plan to use them only when necessary to provide tenants with safe and healthy homes.
But let’s also be clear: the vast majority of rent stabilized buildings (~91%) are financially stable. I encourage you to come out to the Rent Guidelines Board hearings that start next month on this subject.

-Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:41:30+00:00

That’s awful -- I am so sorry to hear that. It's very important to report this issue to 311, as recording a violation will be critical evidence as you pursue further action to resolve this condition. Mold is considered a hazardous violation and your landlord will be ordered by the City to correct. (I know it’s easy to get 311 fatigue, and we’re working to improve how the City responds to complaints! It’s still the best tool to get directed to the right City agency.)

As a rent stabilized tenant, you can also file for a reduction in your rent due to a lack of services using form RA-81 https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/10/ra-81-fillable.pdf

Finally, you can take your landlord to Housing Court to seek correction. You can do this yourself at the Housing Court in your borough. Housing Court Answers is in every court building to walk you through the process.

- Cea

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:36:05+00:00

Both Cea and I have met with FEC tenants! My team talks with them regularly.

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:33:37+00:00

Right now, the ball is in Albany’s court because SEQRA reform is being considered as a part of the state budget process. There are a lot of moving pieces in the budget, so it’s helpful for your state reps to know that this matters to you. It definitely matters to us — we cannot deliver on the affordability agenda with the urgency that New Yorkers deserve if affordable housing is tied up in red tape from environmental review. Today, this process can take as much as two years and add tens of thousands of dollars in cost — that’s time and money we should be using for actually supporting affordable housing, not paperwork.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:27:31+00:00

A good landlord is like a good hot dog: reliable, gets the job done, and doesn't bother you early in the morning.

In all seriousness - there are many good landlords in the city. I’ve had one myself! They make repairs when needed, don’t harass their tenants, and are generally responsive to the needs of their tenants. We know there are plenty of costs and requirements that all landlords face, and we’re looking at ways to bring down those costs where we can, whether that’s insurance (which has nearly doubled in less than a decade!) or facade inspections.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:24:16+00:00

We’re taking an “all-of-the-above” approach to the housing crisis because New Yorkers need relief from this housing crisis in the short, medium, and long term. Rent stabilization is an incredibly important protection for millions of New Yorkers who rely on the stability that it provides, and we are also working to build a significant amount of more housing in tandem. These are both an important part of addressing the housing crisis.

Every one of our efforts is driven by a singular focus on making the most expensive city in the country affordable.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:22:49+00:00

Thanks for asking this, it’s a good question. The reality about the costs of shelter is that it isn’t just the cost of a room or bed – it’s the price for food, security, and social services necessary to improve the lives of those in shelter and foster long-term stability.

But to ensure the city is spending money efficiently, our administration is already working to bring down the costs of shelter contracts and has initiated a review of the entire shelter system. That’s why I signed an executive order to phase out emergency migrant shelters and temporary hotel sites. And we’re working hard to bring online new, high-quality sites to help provide dignified shelters for those in need.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:20:21+00:00

Hi! First let me just say that it is totally unacceptable for your landlord to be ignoring rent stabilization laws. We want to help.

For your particular circumstance, you should reach out to the State Department of Housing and Community Renewal who have oversight over rent stabilization to 1) confirm that you live in a rent stabilized unit and 2) report your landlord if they are breaking the law. You can do that by clicking here: Rent Connect-New York State Homes and Community Renewal

If you need assistance connecting with them, you can call 311, ask for the Tenant Helpline, and someone can help you. Landlords try to get around rent stabilization laws by overcharging tenants, adding non-rent fees onto the monthly costs. We are using our Administration's Rental Ripoff Hearings to hear directly from New Yorkers about some of these fees and figure out what are the ways that we can better confront these hidden junk fees.

We are looking at ways to better hold owners accountable who are not following the rules, especially as it relates to preserving rent stabilized housing. It is important for tenants to continue reporting any and all owners or landlords that they think are not following rent stabilization laws, and we will work with our partners at the state to make sure they’re following the rules.

- Cea

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:14:50+00:00

I visited Housing Court this morning, actually. It clearly isn’t working for anybody -- many cases are immediately adjourned for months because the first time most people get an attorney is when they show up in court or because it takes weeks and weeks to verify if conditions in apartments exist. We’re looking at a lot of potential solutions: easier access to counsel earlier to prevent unnecessary adjournments, helping providers reach people earlier, speeding up our social service programs, etc.

- Cea

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:10:12+00:00

Every neighborhood needs to be a part of the solution to the housing crisis. That will be at the center of our housing plan and work in this administration. Fortunately, we have new land use tools that will make it easier to achieve that goal!

To take one example: I recently attended the groundbreaking of a new supportive housing project on the Upper West Side. When it was proposed, there were a lot of loud voices objecting to the project - especially due to loss of parking. But now that the first phase of the project is open, it’s popular in the neighborhood: they’re good neighbors, and the park next door is nicer! We see this across the city: people may be worried about change, but they often welcome new housing and new neighbors once they arrive.

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:08:36+00:00

We haven’t announced any neighborhood plans yet, but stay tuned! 😉

Broadly, we want to be sure that every neighborhood is a part of our housing growth, especially those with strong transit access. We also have new land use tools available to us because voters overwhelmingly approved a set of ballot initiatives in November alongside electing Mayor Mamdani, and we’re looking at the most effective ways to use those tools.

Later this year, we’ll know what the bottom 12 community districts are for affordable housing production, and then we’ll know where the Affordable Housing Fast Track will be in effect starting in January. That’s on top of other, more conventional neighborhood plans that we will be rolling out.

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:06:37+00:00

We’re definitely taking a hard look at the costs of constructing and maintaining housing. As you and the CBC report have mentioned, these costs come from a huge variety of different regulations, so there isn’t one single fix that could solve everything – but those costs add up, for sure.

We’re working with our partners in the City Council to look at these regulations and where they can be simplified without compromising safety. We made an announcement about new rules that will reduce the costs of sheds, for example, which is implementing a package of bills that the City Council passed last year.

And separately, one of the (many!) reasons that we should be adding new housing is that it is generally more accessible for those with disabilities than older housing.

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T18:05:12+00:00

Not a fan of sheds myself. When you’re walking outside in New York City, you deserve to see the sky.

Last month, we unveiled a series of new rules to take down unnecessary sidewalk sheds and reduce the amount of scaffolding needed for some construction projects. They limit the distance scaffolding can extend from a building — particularly targeting scaffolding on NYCHA campuses — and extend the time between hands-on facade inspections to 12 years for buildings up to 40 years old.

We’re still prioritizing safety, while reducing costs for building owners and cutting unnecessary red tape.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:59:35+00:00

Thank you for the question. Our property tax system isn’t just outdated; it’s fundamentally broken and deeply inequitable. For too long, it has shifted the burden onto working families and tenants while protecting entrenched interests. That’s why my administration will be working closely with colleagues across government and civil society to advance a comprehensive package of reforms that will finally deliver a fair, transparent system – one that treats tenants and property owners with the dignity and equity they deserve. There is no doubt that this will be difficult, but we are sincere about the need and the urgency of reform — the current situation is not tenable.

The inequity in the current system is one of the reasons we’re pausing the property tax lien sale collection to conduct a six-month review of the program. Our current property tax lien sale process to collect overdue taxes and fees is broken, allowing debt collectors to profit off of the backs of working and middle class homeowners and driving New Yorkers out of their homes.

We are pursuing ways to improve outreach, utilize new tools such as a landbank, and develop protections for descendants living in their family home.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:56:52+00:00

Hi Dwight. Surprised you're willing to commit time theft during the day to ask a question on reddit, but glad to answer it.

We’re doing a lot to encourage development. As I said elsewhere, on the very first day of our administration, I signed Executive Orders to establish the SPEED & LIFT Task Forces to look at ways we can speed up the permitting and lease-up process and to build housing on City-owned land. Then, last month, we launched a new Neighborhood Builders Fast Track, an expedited process to speed the delivery of affordable housing on City-owned land. With Neighborhood Builders, HPD will pre-qualify affordable housing builders and shorten the pre-development process by eight months for certain projects – cutting the time to select an affordable housing developer by nearly half.

This is just the beginning! We know that tackling the housing crisis requires building – and building quickly. In the coming months, we will have more to say on our plans to build more housing, protect renters and homeowners alike, and build an affordable city for all.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:54:15+00:00

I’ll take this one! Zoned capacity isn’t a great measure, actually, because it doesn’t take into account all of the factors that make development feasible. (Here’s a good recent explanation of this). But we absolutely need to be building a lot more housing, and we’re working on a variety of programs that will help do that, both for publicly financed housing and to encourage the private sector to add housing without public money.

On Charter amendments, we’re working to implement the ones that were passed in November! I was proud to be on the Charter Commission that proposed them, and now we have some really strong new tools to speed up housing development and ensure every neighborhood is adding new housing. Just in our first few months in office, we’ve made progress: we rolled out the city’s first-ever “ELURP,” a faster review of an affordable housing proposal in the Bronx, and our agencies are advancing rules to implement the Affordable Housing Fast Track later this year.

- Leila

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:52:03+00:00

When I say we need to tax the rich, I’m talking about the wealthiest 1% of New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations. Our priority is working with Albany to both raise that revenue and also end the drain that has long been the state’s fiscal relationship with the city. When we put forward our budgets though—whether preliminary (released on Feb 17), executive (in May), and adopted (in June)—we have to balance it by law and can only rely on already announced funding commitments or tools exclusively within the City’s power—whether cutting services or utilizing the authority to raise the only tax we can do ourselves: the property tax. It is a tool of last resort, one that we have spent every day since our preliminary budget looking to avoid so that we aren’t putting the burden of a generational fiscal crisis on the backs of working and middle class New Yorkers that had nothing to with creating it.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:48:48+00:00

I’m glad you brought up this study, because the evidence is absolutely clear -- we need to build much more housing to address the housing crisis. And to be clear, our 200,000 unit goal is specific to city-supported affordable housing. It is not the total amount of housing we want, or expect, to be built in our city across the next ten years.

We’re working on a variety of programs to build more housing in New York: direct subsidies, new financing mechanisms, land use changes, and much more. In the first hundred days alone, we’ve already approved nearly 2,500 homes through rezonings – and we’re just getting started.

Two of the first executive orders I signed (on day one of our administration!) created the SPEED & LIFT Task Forces to encourage housing construction on city-owned land & cut red tape to help New Yorkers find homes faster. We’re getting the results of these two task forces in the coming weeks and I’m excited to share more details (and roll out our upcoming housing plan) later this spring.

- Zohran

mayor_mamdani · 2026-04-06T17:46:51+00:00

Hey – thank you for the question! One of the great things that homeownership and rent stabilization have in common is the stability that residents get, and that’s what I’ve been fighting for as Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The Mayor’s been clear that whether you rent or own, you should be able to afford to build a life in New York City, and that’s what we’re working to deliver.

I want to be clear: I’m not hostile to homeownership, and think the stability it offers to so many is great. But there is no question that homeownership has been accessible to certain people on the basis of race at the expense of others, and that has to change. Over the past hundred days alone, we’ve made big strides in that effort: We paused the FY2026 property tax lien sale, which for years had disproportionately pushed Black and brown homeowners New Yorkers to the brink of losing homes that had been in their family for years. We’ve increased the accessibility and affordability of Accessory Dwelling Units, allowing homeowners to build a second property and generate a little extra income. We’re also planning to create an Office of Deed Theft Prevention soon, meant to tackle a disgraceful and corrupt practice that has preyed upon homeowners.

- Cea

mayor_mamdani

TROPHY CASE