New York City Mayor Unveils Housing Plan Targeting Negligent Landlords

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented a housing plan on Tuesday that directs city agencies to increase enforcement against landlords with repeated code violations. The 111-page document, titled “Block by Block,” calls for building 200,000 new affordable homes and preserving or stabilizing another 200,000 units over the next ten years.

One section outlines a program called “Our Home” that would convert selected rental buildings into resident-controlled cooperatives, with an initial target of 300 units over two fiscal years.

The plan directs officials to begin probes this year into at least ten housing portfolios with the largest number of violations. It states that the city will use an existing program known as 7A to initiate legal action that could remove negligent owners and managers from day-to-day operations.

Mamdani said the city would seek to transfer ownership of chronically neglected buildings to community land trusts, nonprofits, or tenants when other remedies fail.

Korchak, board president of Small Property Owners of New York, said the plan does not address the financial pressures facing small rent-stabilized property owners who face a rent freeze next month. Councilwoman Joann Ariola stated that the proposal prioritizes ideological goals over expanding homeownership opportunities.

The plan was developed by City Hall officials, including tenant advocate Cea Weaver.