Newsman: In his first press conference as New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani announced three executive orders around housing and tenant protection.
One will revive the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, which will be led by Cea Weaver, who will serve as the executive director.
The other two executive orders establish task forces related to accelerating housing development.
The LIFT (Land Inventory Fast Track) task force will identify city-owned properties suitable for housing development.
The SPEED (Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development) task force will identify and remove bureaucratic and permitting barriers that drive up costs and slow the construction of housing.
The task forces will be overseen by the deputy mayor for housing and planning.
Anthony Carlo has more on the housing-related executive orders announced by Mayor Mamdani following his public inauguration ceremony.
The press conference was held at 85 Clarkson Avenue in Brooklyn, a rent-stabilized building, where residents are threatening a rent strike.
The building, owned by Pinnacle Realty, is one of 90-plus buildings in bankruptcy proceedings set to be auctioned off to a different landlord who ranks No. 6 on the list of worst landlords in New York City, according to Mamdani.
He said the city will be taking action in the bankruptcy case, and will step in to represent the interests of the city and tenants.
“The city of New York has not lacked for tools or tactics. The city of New York has lacked for intent,” he said of the city’s legal action with landlord Pinnacle.
He has tasked Steve Banks, newly appointed as Counsel Corporation, to take action.
Zohran Mamdani signs first 2 executive orders as NYC mayor
In his first two executive orders, announced in a press release, Zohran Mamdani revoked all executive orders issued after Sept. 26, 2024, the day former New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted, saying “that was a date that marked a moment when many New Yorkers decided politics held nothing for them.”
He revoked multiple executive orders issued by the previous administration since Sept. 26, 2024, the date federal authorities announced former Mayor Eric Adams had been indicted on corruption charges, which were later dismissed following intervention by the Trump administration.
It also established that he will have five deputy mayors, less than during the Adams administration.
Then he visited an apartment building in Brooklyn to announce he is revitalizing a city office dedicated to protecting tenants and creating two task forces focused on housing construction.
