(The Center Square) — Rent-controlled apartments for rich people in New York City?
Not so fast, says former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who says the front-running candidate for mayor, Zohran Mamdani, should give up his too.
Cuomo, who was defeated by Mamdani in June’s Democratic primary but is running a long-shot bid in November as an independent candidate, launched a blistering attack Sunday on the self-declared democratic socialist for living in a rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria that costs $2,300 a month. He pointed out that Mamdani makes $147,000 a year as a state lawmaker and comes from an affluent upbringing.
“We are in the middle of a historic affordability crisis. Millions of low income New Yorkers need this apartment and an apartment like it,” Cuomo posted on social media. “Yet your apartment remains rented to rich people who don’t need it. I am calling on you to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to an unhoused family who need it. Leaders must show moral clarity. Time to move out.”
Cuomo also proposed “Zohran’s law” that, if approved by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul, would block privileged New Yorkers like Mamdani from living in rent-stabilized apartments.
“This is obviously an abuse of the system,” Cuomo told The New York Post Sunday. “We’re not supposed to be providing rent-stabilized apartments to the children of millionaires.”
Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman and frontrunner in the mayoral race, has proposed a plan to freeze the rent of government-regulated apartments if he wins the general election in November. That has prompted concerns from commercial real estate owners and business groups.
Mamdani campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec blasted Cuomo’s remarks as “desperate” mudslinging and said the democratic nominee is “busy deepening his support from New Yorkers ready for a city they can afford.” She noted Cuomo’s 2021 resignation as governor over sexual harassment claims that he continues to deny and fight in court on the taxpayers’ dime.
“If Mr. Cuomo really cared for working people in New York City, he’d commit today to reimburse the taxpayers the $60 million we are spending on his personal legal defense — which could pay for thousands of affordable housing units instead of probing the gynecological records of women he harassed.”
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is also running as an independent after dropping out of the Democratic primary. He faced federal bribery and corruption charges, which were dropped.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder, and lawyer and independent candidate Jim Walden will also appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
