New York Metropolis is going through intertwined housing and affordability crises, with document rents and traditionally low condominium emptiness charges. About half of households battle to pay for the fundamentals whereas 1 / 4 dwell in poverty.
Right here is how the contenders have proposed tackling the housing disaster on social media, in interviews, throughout debates and as a part of their formal coverage plans. We’ve got included the highest seven candidates who met the fundraising thresholds to qualify for the second debate.
Adrienne Adams
New York Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams delivers the State of the Metropolis deal with on the Jazz at Lincoln Middle live performance corridor in Manhattan on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (Barry Williams / New York Day by day Information)
Adams has touted her housing document as Speaker, saying she is “doing the work” with large-scale rezonings like Metropolis of Sure, Innovation QNS and the Atlantic Avenue Blended-Use Plan. As mayor she pledged to “use every tool available” to deal with the housing disaster by chopping pink tape and utilizing emergency powers to get reasonably priced housing constructed. She and the broader Metropolis Council additionally handed an growth of the CityFHEPS rental help program as a part of a protracted authorized battle with Mayor Adams. She has indicated she helps a hire freeze not less than this 12 months for tenants in rent-stabilized flats.
Andrew Cuomo
New York Metropolis mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo attends an occasion at New York Metropolis Council of Carpenters in New York on March 2, 2025. (Picture by KENA BETANCUR/AFP through Getty Photographs)
Cuomo has stated he would use “every option available” to develop 500,000 new flats over a 10-year interval. Through the first debate, the previous HUD secretary vowed to “blow up” the town’s Division of Housing Preservation and Growth to attenuate paperwork, a proposal that was warmly acquired by actual property gamers however balked at by tenant advocates. Cuomo has not supported a hire freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, dismissing it as a “politically convenient posture.” Opponents of a freeze have argued that the price of working and sustaining buildings would proceed to rise whereas rents remained flat, doubtlessly placing property house owners in a precarious monetary place.
Brad Lander
NYC Comptroller and Democratic NYC Mayoral candidate Brad Lander speaks throughout a press convention outdoors of immigration courtroom on June 05, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs)
Lander has stated he could be “the best-prepared housing mayor,” citing his years in city planning and work passing the Gowanus rezoning whereas on the Council. His prolonged housing plan includes declaring a housing emergency to expedite the event of 500,000 new models of housing over a decade, together with on city-owned golf programs. It additionally requires coming down more durable on “irresponsible” landlords and growing funding for NYCHA and the Division of Housing Preservation and Growth. Lander has referred to as for a one-year hire freeze in his capability as comptroller and expressed an openness to doing so once more as mayor.
Zohran Mamdani
New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) speaks throughout a press convention outdoors of Metropolis Corridor on March 24, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs)
Mamdani has made freezing rents for rent-stabilized tenants a centerpiece of his marketing campaign, saying he would accomplish that for all 4 years if elected mayor. His housing plan would triple the Metropolis’s manufacturing of reasonably priced housing with the intention of manufacturing 200,000 new properties over ten years. Mamdani would additionally fast-track 100% reasonably priced initiatives, double the cash being spent to protect public housing and beef up municipal housing businesses. Mamdani proposes funding a lot of his bold plans by growing taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers.
Zellnor Myrie
State Senator Zellnor Myrie speaks throughout a press convention on Common Baby Care at Columbus Park Playground on November 19, 2024 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs)
Myrie has pitched himself because the “YIMBY” candidate, with a plan to construct and protect a million properties over a decade. It contains revitalizing NYCHA, constructing extra in Midtown, reallocating shelter financing for housing and increasing the Proper to Counsel program. Myrie has referred to as for a one-year hire freeze for tenants in rent-stabilized flats and stated he would take into account it sooner or later.
Scott Stringer
SCOTT STRINGER
Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Day by day Information
Then-New York Metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer is pictured in Queens in 2021.
Stringer’s housing plan — dubbed “Mitchell-Lama 2.0” — contains growing reasonably priced properties by constructing on underutilized city-owned tons and reclaiming derelict properties from neglectful landlords. He additional hopes to bolster public housing by securing $40 billion for NYCHA enhancements.
Whitney Tilson
whitneyformayor.com
Mayoral candidate Whitney Tilson. (whitneyformayor.com)
The previous hedge fund supervisor summarized his housing mantra as “unleash the private sector.” Tilson says he would minimize pink tape so as to create extra reasonably priced housing by streamlining zoning and approval processes, and stated the town ought to be establishing not less than 100,000 new models yearly. Tilson indicated on the second debate that he doesn’t assist a hire freeze for rent-stabilized tenants this 12 months.
