On December 20, 2025, Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, announced that he would appoint Leila Bozorg, the current Executive Director of Housing at City Hall, as the new Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning in his administration. Bozorg will be responsible for leading the housing construction and land use policies in New York City. She expressed that the new government will bring a “new era” to the city.
Leila Bozorg has been overseeing housing affairs at City Hall since January 2024 and has played a key role in accelerating residential development. She has been involved in drafting several referendum proposals aimed at streamlining processes and expediting housing construction. These proposals, which aim to expand the mayor’s authority in land use and development decisions, were approved by voters this year.
This appointment is seen as a possible continuation of some of the housing policies advocated by the current Mayor Eric Adams in the Mamdani administration. Both support the land use reform plan known as the “City of Yes,” which seeks to relax zoning restrictions and stimulate housing supply.
However, Mamdani has also pledged to further strengthen tenant protections, combat unscrupulous landlords, and consider the city’s acquisition of distressed residential properties to address New York City’s longstanding housing affordability issue.
In a written statement, Mamdani stated that Bozorg will assist the city in “building more housing, protecting tenant rights, and confronting the housing crisis head-on.”
Bozorg has previously held senior positions at the New York City Planning Commission (CPC) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). She has established extensive partnerships with non-profit organizations and private developers and served in the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) during the Obama administration.