NEW YORK – Senator Jessica Ramos and former Assemblymember Michael Blake committed to freezing the rent for over 2.4 million rent stabilized tenants at today’s Mayoral Forum on Housing at Fordham University School of Law, hosted by Housing Justice for All, Housing Conservation Coordinators, and the West Side Neighborhood Alliance. Jim Walden also committed to freezing the rent for landlords who refuse to open their books and publicly show their operating costs and incomes.
Tenants held signs saying “Rent Freeze Now!,” “Want Our Votes? Freeze Our Rents.” Seven candidates attended the forum, moderated by Politico New York reporter Jeff Coltin, including former Assemblymember Michael Blake, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, State Senator Jessica Ramos, former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and lawyer Jim Walden.
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“Candidates know that you cannot become Mayor of New York City without the support of tenants,” said Housing Justice for All Coalition Director Cea Weaver. “Tenants are the backbone of New York – the nurses, bus drivers, cooks, and cleaners that make New York into the city we love. We deserve to afford to live in the city we keep running. We need a leader who will fight for us instead of catering to the real estate donors making this city less affordable every day. Delivering a rent freeze is the clearest thing that the Mayor of New York City can do to keep us in our homes.”
Candidates were asked what role the real estate industry would play in their administrations. In response, Comptroller Lander committed to refusing any donations from the real estate industry during his campaign for Mayor of New York.
Candidates also answered questions on holding slumlords accountable, funding critical legal services such as Right to Counsel, increasing the supply of housing in New York City, preserving New York’s affordable housing, addressing the homelessness crisis, and protecting public housing.
Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani was the first to commit to a rent freeze, which earned him the endorsements of tenant groups New York Communities for Change, CAAAV Voice, and DRUM Beats. Housing Justice for All, a statewide coalition of over 80 tenant organizations, called on other mayoral candidates to follow in order to earn tenant votes.
70% of New Yorkers rent – but high rents are forcing New Yorkers out of their homes and even the city altogether. A November report from the Fiscal Policy Institute found that New York City rent increases are rising faster than wages. Meanwhile rent stabilized landlords’ incomes have increased by over 10%.
Instead of working to keep New Yorkers in their homes, Mayor Eric Adams, who famously declared “I am real estate,” has worked for landlords and developers. His mayoral campaigns have been funded by the same people who raise rents, refuse to make repairs, and push families out of their neighborhoods. Over the last 3 years, Mayor Adams’ Rent Guidelines Board raised rents by 9% for rent stabilized tenants — and Adams slashed the budget for affordable housing.
