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By Mandy Taheri
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Almost three months into his term, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is stepping back from two key campaign promises regarding public school class sizes and housing initiatives amid a budget squeeze.
Newsweek has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment via email on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Mamdani, elected in November and sworn in on January 1, campaigned on making New York City more affordable, especially on housing, which is often the biggest expense for residents. Several supporters have called him out over the matter.
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This week, Mamdani outlined a plan for $1.7 billion in proposed municipal spending cuts in a video released early Wednesday while vowing to keep residents informed "every step of the way." The administration seeks to drive down a projected $5.4 billion budget gap over the next two years.
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What To Know
Mamdani appealed a court ruling Tuesday that would require New York City to expand CityFHEPS, the city-funded housing voucher program he had backed as a candidate but that officials say would come at a steep cost. On the campaign trail, Mamdani said he would drop the lawsuit. However, he now appears to be continuing the legal challenge pursued by former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
Advocates of the program argue it is crucial to helping place New Yorkers from shelters into permanent homes. The program costs about $1.2 billion and is projected to rise to roughly $4.7 billion by 2030 under recently passed laws, according to Gothamist. The City estimated that about 68,000 households rely on the program
The program faced a court deadline on Wednesday, and Joe Calvello, press secretary for Mamdani, said in a statement: “We are committed to reaching a settlement that keeps New Yorkers stably housed and delivers a balanced budget. We came to the table in good faith. But in the absence of an agreement so far, we are proceeding in accordance with the court’s timeline.”
In a second policy area, education, the New York Times reported that Mamdani, in an effort to help balance the budget, may delay a state mandate to reduce the New York City public school class sizes. The mandate would require the administration to hire more than 10,000 new educators, per The New York Times.
What People Are Saying
Christine Quinn, CEO of WIN, one of the city’s largest shelter operators: “Candidate Mamdani and Mayor-elect Mamdani promised to drop the appeal on day one. This is the classic political example of promise made, promise broken.”
NYC Council member Pierina Ana Sanchez, in a March 25 statement: “Every New Yorker deserves a stable, dignified place to call home—and the City’s decision to continue Adams administration’s appeal is a direct failure to deliver on that basic responsibility. After promising to drop this lawsuit, Mayor Mamdani is now choosing to continue blocking relief for families who need it most…CityFHEPS is one of the most effective tools we have to keep families housed and move people out of shelter, and every day this appeal continues, more families are harmed.”
City Hall spokeswoman Olivia Lapeyrolerie told The New York Times: “We have outlined key opportunities for substantive future savings that would require action from Albany and are working on long-term solutions to rebalance our fiscal relationship with the state. We are leaving no stone unturned.”
Redmond Haskins, a spokesperson for Legal Aid, in a statement: “[It's] regrettable that the Mamdani Administration has chosen to continue this litigation rather than focus on ensuring that vulnerable New Yorkers can access the housing support they urgently need. While we are disappointed that the Administration filed its appeal, we remain committed to securing an outcome that best serves New Yorkers experiencing or on the brink of homelessness and who deserve the means to stay safely in their homes or secure long-term, affordable housing.”
Kara Cumoletti, New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s press secretary: “The governor has been clear that she is willing to continue helping the city address its budget gap but expects the city to first identify real, substantial savings. We are reviewing the mayor’s latest savings plan and hope the City Council will put forward additional savings when it releases its budget response.”
What Happens Next
Mamdani is required to release his executive budget by April 26, with a final budget to be adopted by July 1.
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