Zohran Mamdani was officially sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor on January 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in the city's political landscape. As the first Muslim and youngest person to hold the office in over a century, the democratic socialist used his first hours in City Hall to issue a series of executive orders aimed at addressing the city’s affordability crisis.
A central piece of his initial actions was the reestablishment of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The office is designed to serve as a central hub for defending renters' rights and holding negligent landlords accountable. Mamdani appointed housing advocate Cea Weaver to lead the office, signaling a commitment to tenant-centric policies.
Additionally, the Mayor created two new task forces: the Land Inventory Fast Track (LIFT) and the Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development (SPEED). These initiatives are intended to identify city-owned land suitable for residential construction and reduce the bureaucratic delays that often slow affordable housing projects. During his inaugural address, delivered at the historic Old City Hall subway station, Mamdani emphasized that his administration would prioritize the needs of working-class New Yorkers over real estate interests.
The Mayor’s agenda also includes ambitious plans for a multi-year rent freeze for rent-stabilized units and a $100 billion investment in public housing. While some of these broader proposals will require coordination with the State Legislature in Albany, Mamdani’s first day in office has set a clear tone of executive-led intervention in the housing market.
