Zohran Mamdani still mum on affordable housing ballot proposals

Zohran Mamdani, a candidate for mayor of New York City, has positioned himself as a proponent of affordable housing. However, as the leading candidate, he has yet to express his views on three crucial housing-related ballot initiatives.

The initiatives—Nos. 2, 3, and 4—have sparked significant contention between the office of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council. If enacted, these initiatives would alter the city’s zoning and affordable housing policies by centralizing zoning authority within the mayor’s office, according to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.

“New Yorkers need clarity on the stakes of this election,” the Speaker remarked during a press conference on Tuesday, aimed at opposing these ballot measures.

“This isn’t just an issue about housing,” she elaborated. “While we all recognize the necessity for housing development, these proposals seek to manipulate the genuine needs of New Yorkers.”

Speaker Adams, who is not related to the mayor, criticized the proposed measures, claiming they employ “misleading language” to mislead voters into approving them.

“The wording on the ballots this November obscures the real consequences of these measures,” Speaker Adams stated. “Our communities will see a reduction in genuinely affordable housing, decreased investment, and increased vulnerability to unwanted gentrification.”

Despite the impassioned arguments from the Speaker and other council members against the ballot measures, when approached by a Post reporter, none of the council members present at the press conference indicated that they had raised the issue with Mamdani, nor were they aware of his stance.

Majority Leader Amanda Farias was the only one who mentioned discussing the subject with the leading candidate in “broad strokes.”

“I’ve touched on these proposals with him in broad terms and explained why the council is advocating for the community’s interests. But we haven’t gone in-depth,” Farias shared.

Manny Pastreich, president of SEIU 32BJ and a prominent union leader representing 90,000 members in New York City, is urging a “no” vote on the controversial ballot initiatives. He reported having spoken to Mamdani about the potential adverse effects of the proposals on his members.

However, Mamdani did not give a definitive answer on either side, according to Pastreich.

“I believe he is keen to explore how to expedite and improve the process,” Pastreich noted regarding his conversations with Mamdani.

Despite emphasizing affordability, including affordable housing, in his democratic socialist platform, Mamdani has yet to state his position on the ballot initiatives. A request for comment from his campaign was not answered by The Post on Tuesday.

Last week, Mamdani, aged 33, told a reporter he was still consulting with stakeholders “to better understand the implications and potential impacts of the initiatives on housing supply and construction,” according to a report from NY1.

“For Mamdani, the affordability discourse is swiftly shifting towards how long he can continue avoiding clear positions,” remarked a seasoned New York City political strategist to The Post on Tuesday.

Sandy Nurse, a leader within the City Council’s progressive caucus, who was quick to endorse Mamdani following his primary win in June, responded with “no comment” when asked by a Post reporter if she thought Mamdani should publicly clarify his stance on the measures before the November vote, unlike other candidates.

Independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo expressed his support for the ballot initiatives, believing they would reduce local opposition and accelerate the construction of affordable housing.

If approved, the initiatives would transfer substantial decision-making authority from local elected officials to appointees primarily chosen by the mayor. Cuomo asserted that this shift could hasten affordable housing proposals by diminishing member deference, the common practice of yielding to local members on land-use matters.

Speaker Adams recently denied that the Council adheres to a member deference policy after council members voted to approve a sublease, overriding local Councilwoman Kristy Marmarato’s objections to a supportive housing project in her Bronx district.

Conversely, Republican mayoral hopeful Curtis Sliwa is against the ballot initiatives, advocating for increased local control. Sliwa warned that the proposals, if passed, would empower the mayor’s office to make concessions to affluent developers.

“There will be no zoning left. Are you a developer? A realtor? If the price is right, let’s be honest,” Sliwa remarked.

Eric Adams has exited the race and will conclude his term as mayor at the end of this year, regardless of the election’s outcome.