At a press conference at the
Bronx Museum of the Arts
,
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced five major appointments spanning justice reform, public health,
youth development, veteran services, and the city’s administrative court system. Before the introductions, he also
delivered a winter operations update: “code blue” remains in effect, shelter outreach is intensified,
and New Yorkers were urged to check on vulnerable neighbors.
Winter Weather Update — the “snow math”
67 million lbs of snow melted
188 million lbs of salt spread citywide
2,500 sanitation workers on 12-hour shifts (plus additional staffing for the weekend)
Code Blue: intensified outreach; shelters should not turn people away
The Five Appointments
1) Stanley Richards — NYC Department of Correction
Richards was named Commissioner of the NYC Department of Correction. The announcement emphasized a justice-reform
approach focused on safety, dignity, and re-entry, and noted he is described as the first formerly incarcerated
person to lead the department.
2) Dr. Alistair Martin — Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
An emergency-room physician with public health and government experience, Dr. Martin will oversee the city’s
public health apparatus and framed the mission as ensuring high-quality healthcare is not a privilege.
3) Sandra Escamia Davies — Youth & Community Development
Davies was appointed Commissioner of NYC’s youth and community development agency, emphasizing youth as “assets”
and calling for access regardless of ZIP code, with programs connected to credentials, pay, and jobs.
4) Yenya Mata — Department of Veterans’ Services
Mata was named Commissioner of the Department of Veterans’ Services, pledging support for the city’s veterans and
military families across housing, healthcare, and benefits navigation.
5) Vilda Vera Mayuga — OATH (Administrative Trials and Hearings)
Mayuga was appointed Commissioner of OATH, the city’s administrative law court, with a modernization agenda aimed
at making the process simpler and more straightforward than traditional court proceedings.
Q&A Highlights
Jail conditions: the administration said it is coordinating with the remediation manager to improve conditions.
Power outages: the mayor said the city will exhaust options to keep residents warm, including hotel placements if needed.
Cold-front fatalities: he announced the total reached 14 outdoor deaths since the cold front began; outreach and shelter placements were expanded.
World Cup planning: “World Cup Czar” Maya Honda was tasked with turning the event into a citywide celebration involving small businesses.
Appearing live in studio on PIX11 News on January 29, 2026, Mayor Mamdani addressed New York City’s reported $12 billion budget deficit, arguing it will take an “all-of-the-above” plan: pressuring Albany for a better revenue-share deal, seeking higher taxes on millionaires and highly profitable corporations, and launching a citywide hunt for operational efficiencies. In a made-for-TV moment, he signed an executive order on-air requiring every agency to appoint a Chief Savings Officer within five days and deliver a savings/efficiency review within 45 days, while insisting service cuts are a last resort unless state support and tax policy don’t change. He also condemned the car-ramming attack at 770, calling antisemitism a present-day threat, and said final interviews are underway for his Mayor’s Office antisemitism post.
New York. Mayor Mamdani Appears Live on PIX 11
Dan Mannarino: Mayor Zohran Mamdani has painted a grim picture for New York City’s budget, which now has a $12 billion budget deficit to fill. Mayor Mamdani pointed the finger at previous administrations, while saying that he will deliver an on-time, balanced budget on February 17th. So, the question is how? The mayor is joining me now live to talk about this and make an announcement. Mr. Mayor, great to see you.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani: Great to see you as well. Thank you for having me.
Mannarino: Of course, and great to have you here in studio. I think it’s your first as mayor so it’s great to have you here. Before we get to the announcement and the budget, I do want to talk about what we saw play out in Brooklyn last night at the synagogue there. Any indication as the investigation plays out that that individual is looking to commit a hate crime?
Mayor Mamdani: So, it’s currently being investigated. I have to say, I was there on the scene last night at 770 Chabad World Headquarters and it was a horrifying incident where a man repeatedly and intentionally crashed his car into the building and I am so thankful that no one was hurt and we know that this is a building that has immense meaning to so many Jewish New Yorkers and those across the world.
And yesterday’s attack also took place on the yahrzeit of Rabbi Schneerson and the leadership of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and this is just a day after the day when we remember the victims of the Holocaust, and we know that antisemitism is not simply something of the past to be learned about. It is a living, breathing thing that we have to combat every day.
Mannarino: Today, the City Council is expected to announce a task force to fight antisemitism and the question for you is: Have you found somebody to lead your own Office to Combat Antisemitism within the Mayor’s Office? When can we expect to see that up and running?
Mayor Mamdani: So, we are actually in our final interviews for that position. And that is going to be a key position that delivers on our commitment to root out antisemitism across the five boroughs, and make this a city where Jewish New Yorkers are not just safe, but frankly celebrated and cherished.
Mannarino: Sometime next week?
Mayor Mamdani: We’re working on the timeline but it is in the final stages.
Mannarino: Okay Mr. Mayor, and you are here today to talk about the big announcement, which is a $12 billion deficit. You said the city has not seen something like this since the Great Depression. You said you were given a poison chalice by previous administrations. So on behalf of so many New Yorkers who heard that noise and that news, what is the answer to bring So on behalf of so many New Yorkers who heard that noise and that news, what is the answer to budget down on time and on budget?
Mayor Mamdani: So, I think first, as you said, this is [a] $12 billion fiscal deficit. The last time New York saw a fiscal crisis anywhere close to this was the Great Recession. And yet, this actually eclipses that. This is a greater deficit than we saw at the time. It’s going to require an all-of-the-above approach. So, we said, this will require the city’s relationship with the state [to] change. What I mean by that is, today the city contributes 54.5 percent of the state’s revenue [and] receives 40.5 percent in return. The second is going to require a relationship change between the city and its wealthiest residents and most profitable corporations.
I’ve spoken a lot with you across New York City about how I think we should raise income taxes on those who make a million dollars or more by two percent, [and] how we should raise corporate taxes on the most profitable corporations. The third thing it’s also going to require is the city pursuing savings and efficiencies within its own operating budget. And so. that is something that I’m actually here to speak to you today about also, is the creation of savings officers within every single agency that will be tasked with assessing the efficacy of programs we have, the efficiencies that we currently have or are being denied, and what steps we need to take to make the kinds of changes to bring us back to a firm financial.
Mannarino: And you want that done yesterday. So, you have an executive order that you’re calling all city agencies to do right now in implementing and appointing these chief savings officers.
Mayor Mamdani: Yes, and that’s actually the executive order that I have with me right here. This is a directive that, within five days, every single agency head has to identify a chief savings officer. And then within 45 days, those officers have to come back to us with a full assessment of the savings that could be pursued, the efficiencies that we’re currently seeing, and the programs that frankly need to be sunsetted or are not effective.
Mannarino: Okay, so go ahead, put your John Hancock on that. And that will become officially an executive order as of this moment, right?
Mayor Mamdani: Yes, this is now an executive order, the first to be signed on PIX11.
Mannarino: There we go. So let me ask you what exactly that means. The previous administration, Eric Adams, cut from city agencies. For example, libraries were cut, right? Are you expecting agencies to look at some of these things and implement cuts? And how soon?
Mayor Mamdani: I think what we’re first talking about are efficiencies and savings. We’re talking about the things that we could be doing better.
Mannarino: Is that cuts?
Mayor Mamdani: No, I would say, cuts are a matter of last resort, right? We do not want to be cutting the services that New Yorkers are relying on. If the state does not change its relationship to the city, if it does not raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations, then all that leaves the city with, are the most painful tools. However, we want to do everything we can to ensure that those are not the tools we have to use.
Mannarino: But cuts could be on the table, as a last resort.
Mayor Mamdani: That is what we are left with if we are not able to change these relationships. That’s why we’re pursuing the relationship.
Mannarino: You talked a lot about Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, but the City Council was also involved in the budget-making process. Governor Kathy Hochul had four years to kind of implement some changes to Governor Cuomo’s budgets. Do you look at that as part of the reason we’re in this crisis, that there was failure on all levels?
Mayor Mamdani: I see the architects of this crisis being the prior mayor and the prior governor. I think that there have been steps taken in the past few years, especially under Governor Hochul’s leadership, to change some of that cost-sharing between the city and the state. It’s not been an exercise in cruelty towards the city coffers that we saw for about a decade. However, there’s more that needs to be done.
And what we have now, for the first time in a long time, is a directive from our own City Hall, from myself, to go to Albany and be honest and direct about what we need from Albany. That’s what we’re going to do.
Mannarino: What about President Trump? Does he play a role? Does he play a part in this crisis?
Mayor Mamdani: Well, I think President Trump has said himself in the Oval Office right after we had a meeting that the better New York City does, the happier he is. And what we’ve seen is that right now, New York City is in need of a change in its fiscal relationship with a number of the things I’ve listed, but also needs to be protected from some of the federal policies that are being put forward. And I’ve been honest about the fact that some of these proposals would devastate our city, and we’re going to fight them with everything that we have.
Mannarino: In the last couple days or weeks, have you had a conversation with President Trump about what he’s willing to send to New York or withhold from New York? As you go into the budget talks and negotiations now, knowing what you’re going to get from the federal government is huge. So, have you spoken to the president?
Mayor Mamdani: So, I keep those conversations between the president and myself private. What I will tell you, however—
Mannarino: When’s the last time you spoke to him?
Mayor Mamdani: Look, those are conversations that will always come back to New York City. And I think that that’s something that New Yorkers are expecting from me. And what they also know is that in a city of eight and a half million people, the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the world, we have one in four living in poverty. We have to find fiscal policy that lifts us all up.
Mannarino: What is your contingency? As you made that announcement, an hour later, Governor Hochul came out, and she said, “Newsflash, we’re not raising taxes in New York.” So, you had these conversations with the governor a number of times. You’re very complimentary to her, but she is adamant that they’re not raising taxes. So, if you don’t get that money, what is the contingency?
Mayor Mamdani: I think the first key thing is to make clear to New Yorkers why we need that money, how we got to this place. And some of [these] are the structural imbalances we’ve seen in our city’s fiscal health over many years. It would be all too easy to try and fix this budget. Only to get here next year. That’s why we’re looking for solutions that will last in the longer term, recurring ones, annualized ones. And so, we’re talking about these increased taxes on the wealthy.
Mannarino: She said no.
Mayor Mamdani: Look, I think politics is also an exercise in making the case and making clear what the stakes are. The tools that the city has, these are the most painful tools. We are talking about cuts. We are talking about property taxes, the things that I do not want to pursue. And yet, the scale of this fiscal crisis of $12 billion, this is not an ordinary crisis. This is not a mayor coming forward and saying, “It’s going to be a tough budget. “This is the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Great Recession. That requires an all of the above approach. That’s what we’re going to make clear.
Mannarino: So realistic[ally] [speaking], and you mentioned yesterday a number of times that you want to be really honest with New Yorkers and letting them know how we got to this point and what you’re planning to do about it. But there’s also a lot that you campaigned on, freezing the rent, fast and free buses. Could some of that take longer to implement, realistically talking, because of what we’re seeing?
Mayor Mamdani: I think this is a fiscal crisis that has to be [at the] front of mind for all of us. Now, I’m proud of the fact that we’ve already been able to advance our affordability agenda in the one month I’ve been in office. Day eight, we secured more than a billion dollars for universal child care. Freezing the rent is not something that requires a fiscal infusion. It’s a decision from the Rent Guidelines Board.
Making buses fast and free, the fast thing we’re already getting started on. And what I’ve said is that by the time I’m finished being mayor, they’re going to be free. What we have to deliver, however, in this very year, required by law, but also required just by being a good mayor, a balanced budget for this fiscal year [and for] the next fiscal year.
Mannarino: I’m up against the clock here, but yesterday you mentioned an AI chatbot that cost $500,000. It’s one of the things you thought was a waste of money. Can you name something else?
Mayor Mamdani: That’s exactly what this directive is about. What we want is to actually come to a number after looking at the budget. Because what we’re seeing, we’re talking about a budget of more than $115 billion. If I’m going to accuse the prior mayor of gross fiscal mismanagement in the budgeting process, we know that that likely extends to the expense side as well. And so we’re going to look through every agency to find every example, because when we are going to ask New Yorkers to commit themselves to a new era of politics we have to commit ourselves too. That’s what this is about.
Mannarino: If the governor comes up and says, “You know what, Mr. Mayor, I don’t want to raise the taxes, but I do want to find money. We made all this money from Wall Street, which she said, and we found some money for you to give to you.” Would that satisfy you?
Mayor Mamdani: I think that given the scale of this crisis, that’s not going to be a way to cover the entirety of it. Look, I’ll be direct with you. We’re encouraged by the results from Wall Street, by the news of bonuses. That would be something, if the deficit was smaller, I could say maybe this could cover it. But [for] $12 billion, there’s no news of bonuses or better forecasts that are going to get there. It’s going to require everything.
Mannarino: Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you coming here, talking straight with New Yorkers, signing the executive order. I think it’s the first that we’ve had here at PIX11 where legislation is signed right here on our air. Good to see you.
Mayor Mamdani: Good to see you as well.
Mannarino: Want to go do the weather?
Mayor Mamdani: Stay warm, stay inside, stay safe.
Mannarino: There you go. Mr. Mayor, thank you very much.
NEW YORK (Jan. 28, 2026) — New York City Mayor Mamdani laid out what he called a fiscal crisis “greater than the Great Recession,” saying the city is staring at a $12 billion budget deficit and promising an “all-of-the-above” response: aggressive efficiencies, new revenue from the wealthiest New Yorkers and major corporations, and a reset of the city’s fiscal relationship with Albany.
Speaking during a City Hall press conference, Mamdani repeatedly drew a bright line between “savings and efficiencies” and “austerity,” arguing New Yorkers should not be asked to accept degraded public services because of what he described as years of budget mismanagement.
What Mamdani says caused the $12B gap
Mamdani blamed the prior administration for what he described as “gross fiscal mismanagement,” alleging that real program costs were not transparently reflected and that expenses were pushed “off the books.” He told reporters his team is now “going through every single dollar” the city spends and that spending must be defensible.
“If it cannot be defended,” he said in substance, “it’s not a dollar that should be spent.”
CityFHEPS costs and the legal fight over eligibility
Asked specifically about CityFHEPS—a housing voucher program whose costs have been criticized as rapidly expanding—Mamdani said his administration requested more time to work on a settlement in the CityFHEPS case. He framed the goal as balancing medium- and long-term housing access with a sustained and balanced budget.
On whether City Hall would continue litigation to stop an expansion of eligibility, Mamdani said those talks were ongoing, without committing to a final yes-or-no answer.
“Efficiencies, not austerity”: what’s on the table?
Pressed on whether agency cuts, vacancy eliminations, or broad reductions could be coming, Mamdani repeated that he intends to pursue every available efficiency—but not in ways that “come at the expense of working New Yorkers.”
When asked for concrete examples, he offered a small but telling illustration: a city AI chatbot he described as “functionally unusable” that cost roughly $500,000, calling it a sign of money spent without accountability. He emphasized that such examples do not close a $12B gap by themselves, but they point to a broader pattern he claims his team is now auditing.
Taxing the top 1% — and fighting for more from Albany
A major theme of Mamdani’s remarks was revenue.
He argued the city must consider raising taxes on the wealthiest residents and “the most profitable corporations,” and he defended a proposal to increase income taxes on the top 1% of New Yorkers by 2%.
He also pushed back on the idea that wealthier taxpayers would automatically flee, using a simple math example: for $1 million in annual income, a 2% increase equals $20,000 more in taxes—an amount he suggested is unlikely to drive relocation decisions for most high earners.
At the same time, Mamdani said the city needs to “recalibrate” its relationship with New York State. He cited an estimated $8 billion annual gap between what New York City contributes to state revenues and what it receives back, describing the imbalance as having grown over a decade through cost-shifting decisions he attributed largely to the Cuomo era.
Are NYPD cuts on the table?
On public safety spending, Mamdani said he is not entertaining cuts to essential services, including the NYPD. He acknowledged the need for savings and efficiencies (including longstanding attention to overtime spending), but insisted New Yorkers should not be left questioning whether critical city services will be delivered.
Will campaign promises be scaled back?
Asked whether the budget crisis forces him to revise campaign promises—previously estimated to cost about $10 billion—Mamdani said no, arguing the city should not allow past mismanagement to “dull” its ambitions.
He pointed to early progress on universal child care, saying more than $1 billion has already been secured toward that agenda and that his administration intends to “reckon with the mismanagement of the past” while still delivering on core commitments.
Timeline: when the detailed plan arrives
Reporters repeatedly asked for specifics—especially with the budget deadline looming. Mamdani said the city will deliver its preliminary budget on Feb. 17, 2026, and that the document will lay out the detailed steps to address the deficit. He added that City Hall will share additional specifics before then, including updated revenue assumptions tied to Wall Street bonuses and other receipts.
Cold-weather deaths and storm cleanup: other updates
Mamdani also addressed urgent quality-of-life and public health topics:
Cold-weather deaths: He said there had been no additional outdoor deaths since the prior update, described additional placements into shelter, and noted suspected hypothermia involvement in a majority of the deaths discussed—while stressing the official determination rests with the medical examiner.
Snow and bus stops: City Hall cited progress on clearing bus stop shelters—about 95% of sheltered stops cleared as of early morning—while noting property owners are responsible for many other areas and that the city is evaluating improvements for future storms.
SRG and protests: disbanding the unit
In a separate exchange, Mamdani reiterated his intent to disband the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG), saying he does not want a single unit combining counterterrorism responsibilities with policing of First Amendment protests. He said operational conversations with the police commissioner were underway and indicated SRG use would continue until those changes are implemented.
Mamdani’s message was clear: New York City’s $12 billion gap won’t be solved with one lever. He is promising a multi-front strategy—tightened spending discipline, new revenue at the top, and a larger fight over what the city receives from the state—while rejecting the framing that austerity and service cuts are inevitable.
Budget gap, CityFHEPS, and litigation
Q: The controller says CityFHEPS costs ballooned. Will you reflect those costs accurately in the preliminary budget, and will you continue litigation to stop expanding eligibility? A (Mamdani): He blamed the prior administration for budget and housing/assistance mismanagement, said the city asked for more time to work on a settlement in the CityFHEPS case, and emphasized a goal of balancing housing access with a sustained, balanced budget. On whether eligibility will expand, he said the conversations are ongoing (no firm yes/no yet).
“Efficiencies” vs “austerity” (cost-cutting)
Q: You criticized prior cost-cutting, but you say you’ll find efficiencies. Are agency cuts/eliminating vacancies on the table? A: He drew a sharp line: savings/efficiencies ≠ austerity. He said they’ll pursue every possible saving but not at the expense of working New Yorkers, and they’re reviewing every dollar—if they can’t defend it, it shouldn’t be spent.
Q (follow-up): Can you name specific efficiencies now, with the budget due soon? A: He said the next weeks are about assessing full fiscal health, and gave one example of waste: a prior administration AI chatbot that was “functionally unusable” and cost about $500,000—not a gap-closer, but a sign of mismanagement and hidden/ignored true costs.
Q: If you want a “relationship reset” with the state, is it more than two tax increases? A: Yes—he framed it as a crisis “greater than the Great Recession,” requiring an all-of-the-above approach: internal savings, higher taxes on the wealthiest and most profitable corporations, and recalibrating the NYC–state relationship so the city gets what it’s owed.
Q: Is it wise to call for higher taxes when the Governor isn’t interested—won’t that leave you stuck politically? A: He argued the city is already stuck because of the deficit, and said they won’t default to making “those with the least” bear the burden. He defended raising the top 1% NYC income tax by 2%, including an anecdote suggesting the increase wouldn’t trigger mass flight (he illustrated it as $20,000 on $1M income). He also said the city will advocate aggressively in Albany rather than staying quiet.
Q: Are you asking Albany to “pick up the tab” for specific programs (e.g., childcare expansion) to fix the imbalance? A: He said the fix is the city receiving what it is owed, citing an annual imbalance of about $8 billion (what NYC contributes vs. receives). He pointed to Cuomo-era cost shifts as examples of burdens moved from state to city, and implied they’ll seek to reverse that pattern.
Q: Why should the governor give the city more money if you can balance the budget with “efficiencies”? Will the preliminary budget assume $X from the state? A: He said $12B cannot be solved by efficiencies alone. The solution must combine spending scrutiny plus new revenue and a new fiscal relationship with the state. He wouldn’t preview exact state-line assumptions before releasing the preliminary budget.
Revenue assumptions and “being conservative”
Q: Under Adams, conservative revenue estimates were used to justify cuts; then Wall Street/high-earner receipts came in higher. Are you being conservative now about Wall Street revenue/bonuses? A: He said they’re encouraged by reports of higher bonuses and increased revenue, but the $12B deficit is too large to be covered by that, so they still need structural solutions.
“Give more details” — timeline and the preliminary budget
Q: You say you’ll be transparent, but you’re not giving practical detail on cuts. What will New Yorkers actually face? And what have your talks with Governor Hochul been like? A: He said specifics will come with the preliminary budget on February 17, and that between now and then they will share additional specifics on the gap after updated revenues/bonuses, and on the savings they’re pursuing—while stressing they won’t use the crisis to justify pulling back essential services. On Hochul, he said he’s encouraged by the conversations and the relationship they’re building.
NYPD and public safety
Q: Are NYPD cuts on the table (especially overtime)? A: He said they are not entertaining cuts; they’re discussing savings/efficiencies without making New Yorkers doubt essential services will be delivered.
Campaign promises vs the deficit
Q: Do you need to revise campaign promises (estimated ~$10B), now with a $12B out-of-balance situation? A: He said no—they won’t let prior failures “dull” their ambitions. He cited early progress: over $1B secured toward universal childcare (he framed it as achieved very early in the administration). The message: fix past mismanagement, handle the present crisis, and still deliver a future where working New Yorkers aren’t priced out.
Cold-weather deaths update (separate topic)
Q: Any new information on cold-weather deaths? A: He said no additional outdoor deaths since last update; about 30 additional placements were made since the prior night; they suspect ~7 of 10 deaths had hypothermia as a factor; ~6 of 10 were known to DHS. He emphasized the medical examiner will determine official cause and described the 5–7 day post-autopsy timeline for results.
He also described visiting Bellevue (warming center) and joining outreach workers, sharing an anecdote about an older man’s personal story and praising city workers/outreach teams.
SRG (Strategic Response Group) and protests
Q: Are you asking Albany for the full $8B gap back? And you campaigned on disbanding SRG—would you do it, is it an “inefficiency,” would you replace it? A: He said he still believes SRG should be disbanded, and he’s in talks with the police commissioner about operational implementation. He framed the rationale primarily as policy/rights, not budget: SRG shouldn’t combine counterterrorism with responses to First Amendment activity. On the $8B question: he said they’ll share more details on the gap for this fiscal year and next once updated revenues/bonuses are accounted for, but reiterated the “all-of-the-above” approach.
Q (follow-ups): Did you know SRG would be at an anti-ICE protest last night? Are you concerned? Have you told NYPD not to use them at protests “for now”? A: He said SRG will continue to be used until they implement the operational change. He added NYPD must respond to protests and must do so in ways that respect First Amendment rights. He also said he commends New Yorkers protesting ICE abuses, referencing Minneapolis.
Q: Sidewalks/crosswalks/bus stops are still a mess days after the storm. Any new ideas for future storms? A: He said they’ll keep looking for ways to deliver for all modes of transit. He cited a stat: by 7:10 a.m., DOT cleared 3,227 bus stop shelters (~95% of ~3,400 with shelters). He noted property owners are responsible for many remaining stops and said the city is examining how to increase service levels. He praised city workers and noted the storm was followed by unusually severe cold (the coldest in at least eight years, per his remark).
Was the public misled under Adams?
Q: We used to hear “we must cut,” then Council restored things—was the public misled? A: He said Adams’s administration misled the public about the scale of the deficit and accused them of pushing real costs “off the books.” He contrasted that with his pledge to be open and honest about the true costs of services and what it will take to fix the problem.
Statewide fairness and progressive taxation
Q (final): The state taxes wealthy NYC people and uses revenue to help poorer upstate cities. Are you saying NYC should keep its wealth and forget the rest of the state? A: He said it’s important to care for needy New Yorkers statewide, but argued the cost-shifting wasn’t about helping upstate—it was about punishing NYC, describing the growing “chasm” over a decade and expressing hope for a new course.
On January 28, 2026, New York City Mayor Mamdani delivers a blunt warning: NYC is facing a serious fiscal crisis, with a budget deficit of at least $12 billion. He calls it the “Adams budget crisis,” alleging the prior administration systematically underbudgeted essential services—including rental assistance, shelters, and special education—creating what he describes as massive hidden gaps.
Mamdani also argues NYC’s finances were strained over years by a state–city imbalance, claiming New Yorkers contribute a larger share of state revenue than the city receives back. He cites independent projections (including city and state controllers) and says the true budget gaps are far higher than previously presented, framing the moment as more severe than the Great Recession-era gaps and over 300% above the pre-pandemic 10-year average in some years.
He promises a balanced budget within two fiscal years, rejects balancing it “on the backs of working people,” and signals bold solutions: resetting the fiscal relationship with Albany and taxing the richest New Yorkers and most profitable corporations—while pledging honesty, transparency, and clear communication about decisions ahead.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed a fatal Bronx fire and detailed extensive city-wide preparations for an incoming winter storm, including snow removal, cold weather protocols, and public safety advisories for residents to stay indoors.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a press conference on January 24, 2026, to discuss two main topics: a tragic fire in the Bronx and the city’s preparations for an upcoming winter storm.
The mayor first addressed a four-alarm fire in Eastchester, Bronx, which resulted in 15 injuries and one fatality (0:21-0:47). He thanked the FDNY and other city agencies for their immediate response and confirmed that utilities in the affected building were shut down, with all 148 apartments vacated (1:21-1:26). A reception center was opened at a nearby school, and the Red Cross is assisting displaced residents (1:27-1:32). An investigation into the fire’s cause is ongoing (2:01-2:06).
Following this, the mayor detailed the city’s winter storm preparations:
Snowfall and conditions: Snow is expected to begin late Sunday evening, intensifying around 5:00 a.m. Monday (2:32-2:42). Heavy snowfall is anticipated in the late morning and early afternoon, with low visibility and winds up to 35 mph, creating near-blizzard conditions (2:53-3:08). The snow is expected to turn to sleet by Sunday evening and clear by early Monday morning (3:09-3:20).
Expected accumulation and cold temperatures: The city anticipates at least 8 to 9 inches of snow, along with a prolonged period of frigid temperatures, possibly the coldest in 8 years (3:22-3:42).
City agency preparations: Various agencies have undertaken extensive measures:
DSNY has brined highways and major roadways (3:59-4:02), and over 2,000 workers will staff 12-hour shifts, deploying more than 700 salt spreaders and 2,300 plow vehicles (6:36-6:51).
Public schools have prepared for remote learning (4:05-4:11) and conducted pressure testing for virtual operations (4:14-4:22). A decision on Monday’s school status will be announced by 12:00 p.m. tomorrow (15:02-15:13).
NYCHA increased staffing for weather-related repairs (4:23-4:26).
Parks workers pre-salted parks (4:27-4:28).
FDNY increased firefighters per engine company and is operating under enhanced readiness (4:30-4:37).
MTA activated its incident command system and emergency operations center (4:37-4:43).
NYC Emergency Management activated its winter weather plan and held daily coordination calls (4:45-4:57). They also used 311 reports from past storms to address previous service shortcomings (4:59-5:14).
Homeless services and public safety: A “Code Blue” is in effect, ensuring homeless New Yorkers have access to shelter beds (5:37-6:01). 311 calls for warmth access will be rerouted to 911 during this period (6:15-6:22).
Travel advisory: A hazardous travel advisory will be in effect on Sunday and Monday. New Yorkers are urged to avoid driving and unnecessary travel (9:00-9:12) and to stay indoors (9:16-9:23).
Suspended services: City bike service will be suspended starting 12:00 p.m. tomorrow (8:13-8:17), and early voting for tomorrow and Monday has been suspended by the State Board of Elections (8:17-8:22). New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC alerts (8:23-8:38).
The mayor expressed gratitude to the city’s workers for their tireless efforts in preparing for the storm and for their ongoing commitment to keeping the city safe (10:11-10:22, 13:36-14:36). He emphasized that every New Yorker will receive the same level of service regardless of their zip code or neighborhood (11:03-11:11).
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick released the “Manhattan Plan,” a borough-wide housing blueprint aimed at easing Manhattan’s severe housing shortage by adding 100,000 new homes over the next 10 years. Shaped by an extensive public engagement effort that generated more than 2,500 ideas, the plan focuses on building more housing near transit and job centers, enabling growth in areas that currently limit new development, redeveloping city- and government-owned sites, accelerating office-to-residential conversions, and streamlining regulations to cut red tape and speed delivery. The administration points to early momentum through actions such as the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (nearly 10,000 homes), the planned transformation of 100 Gold Street into a mixed-use tower with 3,700 apartments (at least 25% permanently affordable), and zoning changes to create nearly 700 homes above a future Second Avenue Subway station in East Harlem—framing the initiative as part of broader citywide efforts to expand housing supply and improve affordability.
Most Pro-Housing Administration in City History: Mayor Adams, City Planning Release “Manhattan Plan,” Ambitious Proposal to Build 100,000 New Homes in the Borough Over Next Decade
“For too long, the cost of living in Manhattan has gone up, working-class families have gone away, and our city’s housing crisis has grown more severe. Our administration promised to change that, advancing bold plans to bring thousands of new homes to the borough and make sure that Manhattan is still a place you can live and raise a family,” said Mayor Adams. “We passed the first citywide rezoning in six decades, landed the plane on our Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, and with today’s announcement, are putting forward our ambitious ‘Manhattan Plan’ to bring 100,000 new homes to the borough. With the innovative ideas laid out here, we will help create the homes that Manhattan needs, deliver the more affordable future that all New Yorkers deserve, and reinforce, once again, our position as the most pro-housing administration in city history.”
“Between our five neighborhood plans, City of Yes, and now a first borough-wide plan, we have cemented our legacy as the most pro-housing administration in our city’s history.” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “I am very pleased to lay out this roadmap to unlock more housing in our most job- and transit-rich borough. I thank the visionary team at the Department of City Planning and Director Garodnick for their leadership in making Manhattan more accessible and affordable.”
“For generations, Manhattan was the place where people of all backgrounds could start their life’s journey and find new opportunities. This important plan lays out how it can fulfill that role once again,” said DCP Director Garodnick. “By embracing the ambitious, transformative ideas outlined in this framework, we can ensure that many more New Yorkers can live, work, and follow their dreams in a more affordable, welcoming, and vibrant Manhattan.”
Manhattan’s unparalleled job market, transit access, and walkability helped make the borough a site of enormous opportunity through the 20th century and drove a housing boom that unlocked all the island had to offer for millions of New Yorkers. But Manhattan’s housing production has dropped sharply when compared to the previous century. Today, Manhattan produces less housing than every other borough except for Staten Island; income-restricted affordable housing is also in extremely short supply.
Due to the lack of housing options, today, almost half of Manhattanites are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent, and about a quarter are severely rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than half of their income on rent. The Manhattan Plan looks to address this severe housing shortage through a set of strategies to help create 100,000 new homes over the next decade. Delivering these additional homes will allow more New Yorkers of all income levels to live near transit, jobs, schools, parks, and cultural resources — reaffirming Manhattan’s historic role as a place of opportunity. Ultimately, new housing will deliver a win-win-win: giving New Yorkers more affordable places to live, workers more opportunities to connect with nearby jobs, and small businesses more foot traffic.
The Manhattan Plan was developed through extensive public input gathered through pop-up events in every community district in the borough, online engagement, briefings, interviews, and focus groups held in English, Spanish, and Chinese. More than 2,500 ideas on where and how to bring new housing to Manhattan were generated from this public input process, including over 900 responses to the website survey and over 1,000 contributions to an interactive map.
The Manhattan Plan is built around six key themes that reflect the many ideas received for where and how the city can increase the borough’s housing supply:
Housing near transportation and job centers: To take advantage of the borough’s role as the nation’s largest job center and one of its most significant transit hubs, the plan suggests bolstering housing opportunities near both resources, such as the recently-approved 125th Street and Lexington Avenue Project by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which will use “City of Yes’” new, high-density R11 zoning district to generate nearly 700 new homes, including around 170 permanently-affordable, income-restricted homes.
Housing in areas with greater housing potential or low housing production: While much of Manhattan permits new housing, many mid-density areas have the capacity for additional housing and affordable housing through land use changes. There are also opportunities to map the city’s high-density R11 and R12 zoning districts, a key component of City of Yes that could create permanently affordable homes in some of the densest parts of the borough.
Housing on city- or government-owned sites: The Manhattan Plan describes ideas for the increased use of government-owned sites for new housing, either as standalone developments or mixed-use projects with resources like schools or libraries on the ground floor. This work is already underway through projects like 100 Gold Street, an office building with several city agencies that will be transformed into a mixed-use tower with 3,700 apartments, at least a quarter of them permanently affordable.
Housing on private sites: Although much of Manhattan is developed, there are opportunities for new housing on remaining vacant or underutilized private sites, such as those that are currently home to automotive uses, self-storage, parking lots, and more. The city will explore how to best incentivize the redevelopment of these sites for new housing, including through office-to-residential conversions.
Improving the development process and regulatory environment: The Manhattan Plan explores ways to lessen regulatory barriers, cut red tape, get shovels in the ground, and help New Yorkers move into new homes faster. This work could include streamlined city agency processes, expedited financing, expanded funding streams, and other reforms.
Expanding development models and building methods: From Housing Development Fund Corporation cooperatives to Mitchell-Lamas to Community Land Trusts, New York City has a long history of creative housing ownership and management models. This plan suggests ideas for expanding alternative ownership and development models for new housing.
When Mayor Adams came into office, he promised to turn the page on decades of dysfunction, make real progress against New York City’s long-standing housing crisis, and create 500,000 units of housing by 2032; four years later, he delivered, and the Adams administration is well on the way to that goal by creating, preserving, or planning over 433,000 homes through its efforts to date.
The Adams administration also passed landmark changes to overhaul the city’s outdated zoning code and spark the creation of new housing. In December 2024, Mayor Adams passed “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” — the most pro-housing legislation in city history — to create over 80,000 new homes and invest $5 billion in housing and infrastructure. Additionally, Mayor Adams passed five neighborhood plans to create nearly 50,000 homes over the next 15 years in the Bronx Metro North neighborhood, Central Brooklyn, Midtown South in Manhattan, and Long Island City and Jamaica in Queens. The Adams administration’s rezoning efforts in less than four years alone are expected to create more new housing than the previous two mayoral administrations’ rezoning efforts in 20 years combined.
Additionally, the Adams administration put public housing first, helping to unlock nearly $5.5 billion in capital repairs for over 24,000 residents through the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program and helping establish the Preservation Trust to repair, rehabilitate, and modernize 25,000 apartments under control of the New York City Housing Authority.
NYC City Hall Hanukkah Event: Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Deputy Mayor Fabian Levy, and Mayor Eric Adams Address Security and Rising Antisemitism
At a City Hall Hanukkah gathering, an emcee opens by identifying as a “loud and proud Jew” and recognizes multiple City Hall staff members before introducing NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Tisch thanks Mayor Eric Adams for his support of New York’s Jewish community and addresses the weekend terror attack in Australia, saying there is “no known nexus” to New York City and no specific credible threats tied to local Hanukkah events, but that the NYPD has increased security at menorah lightings and houses of worship across all five boroughs.
The program blends speeches and performances: a vocalist leads a crowd singalong of “Hallelujah” (with modified lyrics), and Council Member Gale Brewer offers brief remarks wishing a happy Hanukkah, calling the Sydney attack a “wakeup call,” thanking allies, and thanking the NYPD and Commissioner Tisch for keeping people safe. The event continues with music and additional acknowledgments of senior administration officials on stage.
Later, speakers pivot back to policy and public messaging. One official leads a prayer and references City Hall’s efforts to combat antisemitism, including executive actions described as adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism and creating rules related to protests and city policy. Deputy Mayor Fabian Levy then delivers a longer address framing Hanukkah as a story of resilience and praising Mayor Adams for consistently standing with the Jewish community; Adams follows with a speech urging New Yorkers not to hide their Jewish identity out of fear and calling on allies to speak up. The program culminates in lighting a “Hanukkiah of hope,” described as made from fragments of missiles and tied with hostage-family ribbons, followed by blessings led by clergy and closing thanks to event sponsors.
NYC Weekly City Hall Recap: Citywide Translation Tech, $1B Coney Island Shoreline Plan, and 100 Gold Street Housing Conversion
This short City Hall–style recap frames the week as part of New York City’s “next chapter,” highlighting recent actions the administration says are aimed at improving day-to-day life for working-class New Yorkers. The narration positions the updates as proof the administration is “getting stuff done,” emphasizing operational changes and big capital commitments.
One major focus is language access: the city says it is rolling out language applications on all city-owned smart mobile devices and directing agencies to leverage translation technology. The stated goal is to improve communication with residents whose first language is one of the many languages spoken across the five boroughs.
The video also spotlights two large development and resiliency initiatives. First, it cites a $1 billion investment to renovate the Coney Island shoreline—reimagining the boardwalk, building flood-resilient infrastructure, upgrading public spaces, and adding 1,500 new homes. Second, it describes next steps in a housing initiative to convert the city-owned building at 100 Gold Street into a mixed-income residential project with 3,700 housing units (with at least 25% “permanently affordable”), plus 40,000 square feet of public space and new facilities for public use.
In the NYC Mayor’s Office “Week in Review” video for November 29 to December 5, 2025, Mayor Adams highlighted a landmark $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks, the largest worker protection settlement in city history, requiring over $35.5 million in restitution to more than 15,000 baristas for violations of the Fair Workweek Law, emphasizing accountability regardless of company size. The administration also celebrated the opening of the “Harlem Field of Dreams,” an $11 million renovation of Brigadier General Charles Young Playground into a state-of-the-art multi-sport turf field serving over 800 young athletes. Additional investments included creating Brooklyn’s first “blue belt” in Prospect Park with nature-based solutions to combat climate-induced flooding, and $30 million in capital funding for Staten Island public spaces, including the zoo, Bloomingdale Park Playground, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Combating Antisemitism and Executive Actions
Mayor Adams addressed rising antisemitism by traveling to New Orleans for the Combat Antisemitism Movement Conference and African American Mayors Association discussions. In response to a recent protest outside a Park Synagogue, he signed Executive Order 61 to protect New Yorkers’ right to pray peacefully without harassment, while upholding free speech and assembly rights, directing the NYPD to evaluate protest guidelines around houses of worship. Another executive order prohibited city leadership from boycotting or divesting from Israel, ensuring investment decisions remain financially sound and free from discriminatory practices.
Housing Progress and Ongoing Commitment
The video marked the one-year anniversary of the “City of Yes” housing initiative, declaring the Adams administration the most pro-housing in city history by reforming outdated zoning laws to build more affordable homes in every neighborhood. This revolutionary effort aims to tackle the housing crisis head-on, affirming a commitment to working-class New Yorkers. Overall, the week underscored continued progress in public safety, community spaces, equity, and affordability, with the administration focused on “getting stuff done” for residents.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is marking the first anniversary of his “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” zoning overhaul by touting a 22.8% rise in permitted housing units in 2025 compared with the year before the policy was approved, as well as a growing pipeline of affordable units and office-to-residential conversions. The package, billed as the most pro-housing legislation in city history, relaxes parking mandates, legalizes accessory dwelling units, creates new high-density districts and offers an affordability bonus that has attracted more than 100 projects expected to yield some 5,400 homes, including roughly 900 income-restricted units. New R11 and R12 zones in Midtown South and other locations could add nearly 11,000 homes, while conversions of underused office buildings are projected to produce more than 12,000 apartments, 3,000 of them permanently affordable. Combined with five neighborhood rezonings slated to deliver about 50,000 homes and what City Hall describes as record production of nearly 86,000 affordable units since Adams took office, the administration is seeking to cement its legacy as aggressively pro-development amid a long-running housing shortage.
“One year ago today, our city said ‘yes’ to more housing and a more affordable future for working-class New Yorkers. We turned the page on decades of half-measures and proved that government can still meet the challenges of our time with energy, ambition, and resolve,” said Mayor Adams. “One year later, we are already seeing the results, with thousands of new affordable homes in the pipeline across our city. Whether it’s passing the first citywide rezoning in six decades, investing historic amounts of money into new homes, or creating record amounts of affordable housing, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in city history.
“With the adoption of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we have begun to turn the tide on the housing crisis in New York City. The full impact of these changes will take time to be felt, but twelve months in, we’re already seeing success delivering a little more housing in every neighborhood,” said DCP Director Garodnick. “New York City’s housing crisis has been growing for so long that it is easy to take it for granted. But with City of Yes and other policy changes, we are changing course and creating a more affordable city for generations to come.”
The initiative — which was approved by the New York City Council on December 5, 2024 — aims to deliver “a little more housing in every neighborhood” through carefully-crafted zoning changes, including creating a new affordable housing bonus; legalizing accessory dwelling units (ADU) for homeowners; re-legalizing three-, four-, or five-story apartment buildings near transit and along commercial corridors; reducing costly parking mandates for new construction; and allowing underused office buildings to become housing; among other reforms.
Already, many of these new tools are being used to create new housing across the city:
Universal Affordability Preference: Over 100 housing developments across the five boroughs have already applied to use the Universal Affordability Preference, which allows buildings in medium- and high-density parts of the city to add at least 20 percent more housing if the additional homes are permanently affordable. These projects are expected to deliver 5,400 new homes, of which approximately 900 would be affordable to households at an average 60 percent Area Median Income.
High-density zoning districts: New, higher-density R11 and R12 zoning districts created through City of Yes have been mapped in Mayor Adams’ Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan that the City Council approved in August, where they will deliver 9,500 new homes, including 2,800 permanently income-restricted affordable homes. These new zoning districts are also being proposed at the site of the future 125th Street Second Avenue Subway station and at 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension in Downtown Brooklyn, which are currently in public review, where they could deliver another 1,800 new homes.
Reduced parking mandates: Rolled-back requirements for off-street parking are also helping to deliver more housing near transit. For example:
At 2060 Walton Avenue in the Bronx, an underused lot close to the 4, B, and D trains is being transformed into 94 new homes — without the 25 parking spots that had previously been required, a change that meaningfully lowers building costs.
At 21 Freeman Street in Brooklyn, a vacant lot close to the G train is set to become over 500 new homes without the 140 parking spaces that would have been required prior to City of Yes.
Meanwhile, as envisioned, new housing in less transit-accessible areas continues to include parking.
Office-to-residential conversions: Together with the 467-M tax incentive — which the Adams administration successfully advocated for in Albany — City of Yes has supported a boom of office-to-residential conversion projects. There are more than 12,000 homes in the pipeline from office conversions, including more than 3,000 permanently affordable units.
Landmark Transferable Development Rights: In the last year, five landmarked buildings have begun seeking approval to transfer their development rights to nearby housing projects through a process that was streamlined and expanded by City of Yes. These transfers will enable over 400,000 square feet of new development, while bringing in additional revenue to support maintenance of landmarked buildings. Those five applications in less than one year compare to a total of 15 applications over more than 50 years before City of Yes.
Accessory Dwelling Units: So far this year, the New York City Department of Buildings has received 98 filings from homeowners in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, seeking to construct ADUs on their properties. Half of these filings have come in just the past two months, since the city finalized rules for safe, code-compliant ADUs and launched the “ADU for You” homeowner assistance program. ADUs like backyard cottages, garage conversions, and basement apartments are a proven tool to support homeowners and expand housing choice in lower-density areas without a changing neighborhood’s look-and-feel.
As these City of Yes tools are deployed, new data shows that New York City permitted 22.8 percent more new homes in 2025 than the same time period in 2024 (through October 23), when the Adams administration was already shattering several housing records for the second year in a row. This permitting increase includes a boom in homes from alterations — more than double the number of permitted units from 2024, many of which are from office conversions — and an increase in units from new construction over the previous year.
The Adams administration has continued working to deliver the full benefits of City of Yes, including successfully defending the policy in court, where a judge recently dismissed a challenge. HPD also recently released the Shared Housing Roadmap, which — building on the City of Yes zoning reforms and in concert with new legislation — clears the way for reintroducing shared homes as a safe, affordable housing option for single New Yorkers.
Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments to create more affordable housing and ensure more New Yorkers have a place to call home. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, the Adams administration created the most affordable rental units in city history and celebrated back-to-back-to-back record-breaking years for producing permanently-affordable homes for formerly-homeless New Yorkers, placing homeless New Yorkers into housing, and connecting New Yorkers to housing through the city’s housing lottery. HPD has now produced nearly 86,000 affordable homes since the start of the Adams administration, with the last three fiscal years representing the most new affordable homes ever created in a three fiscal-year stretch (FY 2023 to FY 2025).
Building on the success of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Adams unveiled his “City of Yes for Families” strategy in his State of the City address earlier this year to build more homes and create more family-friendly neighborhoods across New York City. Under City of Yes for Families, the Adams administration is advancing more housing on city-owned sites, creating new tools to support homeownership, and building more housing alongside schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, accessible transit stations, and libraries.
Further, the Adams administration is actively working to strengthen tenant protections and support homeowners. The “Partners in Preservation” program was expanded citywide in 2024 through a $24-million investment in local organizations to support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing. The Homeowner Help Desk, a trusted one-stop shop for low-income homeowners to receive financial and legal counseling from local organizations, was also expanded citywide in 2024 with a $13 million funding commitment.
“A mayoral administration rarely advances a policy that can fundamentally change the future health of a city for generations to come. The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, coupled with the City Council led “City For All” initiative, is such a policy,” said Marc Greenberg, executive director, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. “With City of Yes, the Adams administration has changed the momentum of a city that has been losing ground on affordable housing for decades and has begun again to lift Lady Liberty’s Lamp beside New York City’s golden door.”
“One year after the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the results speak for themselves. Across all five boroughs, thousands of new homes are being constructed thanks to modernized zoning that promotes transit-oriented development, the elimination of outdated parking mandates, new tools like the Universal Affordability Preference, expanded opportunities for office-to-residential conversions, and more,” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., president and CEO, New York Building Congress. “Among the most significant wins are more than 12,000 homes, including 3,000 permanently affordable units, already in the pipeline from office-to-residential conversions, breathing new life into underused buildings and neighborhoods. This is the smart, forward-thinking development New York has needed for decades, and it’s exactly why the Building Congress worked so closely with the Adams administration to get it across the finish line.”
“City of Yes is already proving to be a major step toward achievement of our housing goals,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City. “This carefully crafted initiative is encouraging development that is consistent with neighborhood standards by lowering costs and accelerating or eliminating the need for multiple public approvals.”
“As we mark one year since the launch of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re already seeing real progress on housing growth in New York City,” said Rachel Fee, executive director, New York Housing Conference. “Housing continues to be one of New Yorkers’ most urgent needs, and City of Yes shows what a common-sense approach can deliver. By modernizing outdated rules and unlocking new housing in every community, City of Yes is giving New Yorkers the tools to spur affordable housing production. This initiative is clearing the path for meaningful housing victories, including the passage of ballot Proposals 2 – 5, and laying the groundwork for even more progress in the year ahead. We commend the administration for advancing these critical reforms to reduce delays and promote a fairer, more equitable distribution of housing across the city.”
“One year after the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re seeing what happens when New York City chooses vision over fear,” said Emma Pfohman, CEO, Association for a Better New York (ABNY). “ABNY applauds the herculean work of the Adams administration, in partnership with Governor Hochul and the City Council, to pass the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity and approve the creation of thousands of units through the successful rezonings championed by the Department of City Planning over the last year. Together, these efforts ensure New York remains a city where every resident has the chance to live, thrive, and build their future.”
“In just its first year, City of Yes has opened the door to more homes in every borough,” said Andrew Fine, chief of staff and policy director, Open New York. “In the Bronx, longtime proposals are finally moving forward with deeper levels of affordability. Homeowners from Staten Island to Queens are excited to add ADUs, and in Brooklyn, new apartment buildings near the subway are being built without costly parking requirements. In Manhattan, the Midtown South rezoning was the first to use new higher-density districts, creating room for more homes through office conversions and new construction. All of this shows what is possible when City leaders work together to break down barriers to housing. And since then, the need for homes and the public’s support for building them have only grown. With November’s historic pro-housing ballot proposals behind us, we are ready to keep working toward a more affordable future for New York.”
“A year on from the most expansive citywide zoning changes for housing that New York City has seen, it’s a great moment to reflect on this achievement, and redouble our commitment to its implementation,” said Howard Slatkin, executive director, Citizens Housing and Planning Council. “City of Yes has opened the door for a generation of new housing achievements, which with sustained effort can stand as a legacy to what we can do when we agree that no challenge is too large for New Yorkers to tackle.”
“One year ago marked a turning point in the fight against New York City’s housing crisis with the enactment of the City of Yes zoning text amendments,” said Baaba Halm, senior vice president for programs, Enterprise Community Partners. “By allowing more housing types, increased density, and more flexible zoning options in a wider swath of New York, we collectively took a major step toward significantly increasing needed housing supply and reducing development barriers which add costs. Importantly, the amendments also specifically increased affordable housing, and came alongside robust new capital and programmatic resources. The results are already evident through more projects in the pipeline, and we look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”
“Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester is driven by a simple goal, to create permanent, affordable homeownership opportunities for New Yorkers who need them most,” said Sabrina Lippman, CEO, Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester. “One year after the approval of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re already expanding our pipeline by nearly 50 percent as a direct result of zoning reforms that remove barriers and make it easier to build. City of Yes is perfectly aligned with Habitat’s work to build stable, inclusive communities and ensure more families can call New York City home.”
“One year in and we are already seeing the tremendous impact of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. This landmark rezoning has already begun to unlock meaningful opportunities to deliver high quality, affordable homes in neighborhoods across the city. By removing outdated barriers and enabling smarter, more flexible design, we are creating the conditions for a more equitable and resilient city,” said Jesse Lazar, executive director, American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. “Building on the momentum generated by City of Yes, we must continue to explore how we capture the future value of our city today, creating thriving communities and building housing that serves all New Yorkers.”
“The rising cost of housing is chipping away at hard-earned wages and pushing too many New Yorkers out of the city. Last year’s passage of the landmark City of Yes legislation represented a monumental step forward toward addressing the urgent housing affordability crisis,” said Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ SEIU. “We’re seeing progress and look forward to continuing this momentum alongside stakeholders, to deliver the housing essential workers and their communities need, while creating thousands of good jobs.”
“City of Yes is a landmark achievement and a testament to the hard work of everyone who helped make these vital zoning reforms a reality,” said Basha Gerhards, executive vice president of public policy, Real Estate Board of New York. “With growing momentum behind adaptive reuse, New York City has the best conversion rules in the country, positioning us to unlock much needed homes across all five boroughs.”
“After one year, City of Yes is delivering on the promise of more affordable housing and giving hope to the over 2 million New Yorkers struggling to keep a roof over their head,” said Rich Buery, CEO, Robin Hood. “By taking an all-of-the-above approach, the city is unleashing the pent-up potential we knew existed. When paired with the recent pro-housing City Charter amendments, overwhelmingly approved by voters, our city is making progress toward being a place where people of all incomes can live, raise children, and flourish.”
“City of Yes set a new bar for what pro-housing policy can look like in New York, and the first year has already shown that the old excuses for doing nothing don’t hold up,” said Aaron Carr, founder and executive director, Housing Rights Initiative. “It’s given us a real foundation to build upon and proven that smarter zoning and bolder reforms can actually make a dent in our housing crisis. This is just the beginning.”
