NEW YORK — On his first day in office Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed a series of executive orders aimed at addressing New York City’s housing crisis, marking an early push to expand supply, protect tenants and reshape how City Hall operates.
Speaking at a press conference in Brooklyn, Mamdani described the actions as the beginning of a broader housing agenda.
“These are sweeping measures, but it is just the beginning of comprehensive measure to champion the cause with tenants too long, ignored and homes too expensive,” he said.
According to a news release, the executive orders include revamping the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and establishing two new task forces designed to accelerate housing construction, identify city-owned land for development and reduce barriers that slow down new projects.
The revitalized Office to Protect Tenants will focus on enforcing renters’ rights and ensuring city agencies respond to unsafe or illegal housing conditions. Mamdani announced that Cea Weaver will serve as director of the office. She currently leads Housing Justice for All and the New York State Tenant Bloc.
One of the new initiatives, the LIFT, or Land Inventory Fast Track, Task Force, will conduct a comprehensive review of city-owned properties to identify sites suitable for housing development by July 1, according to the release.
Another order establishes the SPEED, or Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development, Task Force. That group will be tasked with identifying and removing bureaucratic and regulatory obstacles that increase costs and delay construction across the city.
In addition to housing-focused directives, Mamdani also signed executive orders outlining how his administration will function internally.
One order rescinds executive orders issued on or after Sept. 26, 2024 — the day former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted. Orders deemed essential for continued operations will be reissued under the new administration.
“We have to reckon with why so many New Yorkers have turned away from politics,” Mamdani told reporters. “That was a date that marked a moment when many New Yorkers decided that politics held nothing for them but more of the same.”
A second order establishes the deputy mayor structure for the Mamdani administration. Positions include a first deputy mayor, deputy mayor of housing and planning, deputy mayor of economic justice, deputy mayor of operations and deputy mayor of health and human services.
According to the release, Mamdani appointed Dean Fuleihan, Leila Bozorg, Julie Su, Julia Kerson and Helen Arteaga to those respective roles.
The executive orders signal a sharp focus on housing affordability and tenant protections at the outset of Mamdani’s term, as the city continues to face record rents, limited housing supply and growing concerns over displacement.
By pairing land inventory efforts with streamlined development procedures, the administration aims to unlock publicly owned sites for housing while reducing approval delays that have historically slowed construction. Housing advocates say the approach could help accelerate both affordable and mixed-income projects if implemented effectively.
City officials emphasized that the task forces will work alongside existing agencies, with recommendations expected later this year. Further housing legislation and budget proposals are anticipated as Mamdani’s administration begins formal negotiations with the City Council.
Originally reported by Deanna Garcia Brooklyn in NY 1.
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