New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani revealed during an interview with PIX11 TV station on the 19th that his top priority after officially taking office on January 1st next year will be to freeze rents for over 2 million tenants protected by the rent stabilization law.
When discussing the formal partnership with New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and outlining his administration’s future direction, Mamdani emphasized that his first task upon entering City Hall would be to address the Rent Guidelines Board and push for a rent freeze.
The 34-year-old mayor-elect won the election with three main propositions: freezing rents, promoting “fast and free” bus services, and expanding access to childcare. One of his key focuses is to influence future rent adjustment policies by controlling the personnel of the Rent Guidelines Board.
The Rent Guidelines Board consists of nine members representing tenants, landlords, and the public interest, all appointed by the mayor. Currently, two members of the board will see their terms expire during Mamdani’s tenure, allowing him to appoint new members. Additionally, the board chair can be replaced by the mayor at any time.
While the terms of the remaining six members have already expired, they can be replaced by either current Mayor Adams or Mamdani after taking office as per regulations. If Adams agrees, he could even replace all six members once before leaving office and appoint new members with terms ranging from one to four years.
Regarding concerns about Adams potentially accelerating appointments in the final stages of his term to influence future policies, Mamdani expressed no worries. He believes that if the outgoing mayor were to do so, he would face political resistance.
“I think he will find it difficult to resist the energy and support accumulated by our campaign team and movement,” Mamdani pointed out. Even if new appointments emerge, “that may pose obstacles, but I believe we have the capability to overcome them.”