On Sunday, August 10th, independent mayoral candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo, surrounded by numerous supporters, announced the introduction of “Zohran’s Law” aimed at prohibiting wealthy individuals like Zohran Mamdani from using New York’s rent-stabilized housing.
“You talk about freezing rent, but for whom? For the wealthy like yourself? Hardworking, middle-class New Yorkers are being forced out of their communities,” Cuomo stated on social media platform X. “Today, I am proud to announce that I will propose ‘Zohran’s Law,’ which will keep the wealthy out of affordable housing in New York.”
Cuomo’s initiative was a response to media reports about Mamdani’s housing situation. Mamdani, a political newcomer who emerged victorious in the Democratic primary with bold socialist policies including freezing rent on stabilized housing and establishing public grocery stores, was born to a Columbia University professor father and a filmmaker mother. As a state assembly member, Mamdani earns a salary of $142,000 annually and resides in a rent-stabilized apartment in Queens with a rent of only $2,300.
This information was disclosed to the New York Post by dissatisfied neighbors of Mamdani.
Following the exposure of this information, other mayoral candidates also criticized Mamdani on the issue. Mayoral candidate Eric Adams stated, “This is not public service; this is self-service,” and “A self-proclaimed defender of the poor, living in an apartment intended for public housing, while forcing thousands of New Yorkers to sleep in shelters and on the streets…”
Independent candidate Jim Walden remarked, “Good governance cannot be built on bad policies and conflicts of interest.”
In another post, Cuomo criticized, “Last night somewhere in New York City, a single mother and her children slept in a homeless shelter because you, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, occupied her rent-stabilized apartment,” and “You were born into wealth, married into even greater wealth, and have held weddings on three continents.”
This post has garnered over 28 million views.
“Today, I urge you to move out immediately and return your affordable housing to homeless families in need of shelter; leaders must demonstrate moral clarity,” Cuomo said. “It’s time to move out.”
On Sunday, Cuomo continued his momentum by proposing legislation named after Mamdani.
“Let’s build affordable housing and assist those who truly need it. Under Zohran’s Law, landlords cannot rent vacant rent-controlled units to the wealthy anymore,” Cuomo said. “You, the wealthy, are taking away affordable housing from the poor. And you are not alone. We should have addressed this unfairness long ago. Let’s build a brand-new New York City that serves those in need.”
There was no immediate response from Mamdani’s campaign team.