Tens of Thousands in NYC Without Heat Slam Mayor Mamdani

Tenants report days without heat, freezing-cold showers, and overnight shutoffs during frigid temperatures.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tens of thousands of New York City residents made calls reporting lack of heat and hot water in January, with several private and public housing tenants blaming Mayor Zohran Mamdani for failing to respond to the crisis. The surge in heat complaints comes as Mamdani has touted the appointment of a new tenant protection czar, but lawmakers are asking if the socialist mayor has done enough to protect tenants as heat complaints reach record highs.

Why it matters

The heating crisis in New York City highlights the ongoing challenges of maintaining aging public housing infrastructure and the pressure on city leaders to prioritize tenant protections, especially during extreme weather events. The situation raises questions about the effectiveness of the city's emergency response and the mayor's ability to address long-standing issues in the housing system.

The details

Approximately 80,000 New Yorkers called 311 last month reporting a lack of heat and hot water, the highest monthly total on record. Tenants throughout the city reported days without heat, freezing-cold showers, and overnight shutoffs. The city logged more than 215,000 heat complaints to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development since October 1, surpassing the previous year's total. Officials with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which manages public housing, said they have spent hundreds of millions on heating infrastructure upgrades, but the system still faces an estimated $78 billion repair backlog.

  • In January 2026, New York City experienced frigid temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Over the last 11 months, some tenants reported over 40 days without hot water.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The Muslim socialist mayor of New York City who is facing criticism for the city's response to the heating crisis.

Cea Weaver

The city's new tenant protection czar, appointed by Mayor Mamdani to champion renters' rights and crack down on negligent landlords.

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

The agency that manages one of the nation's largest public housing systems, which faces a $78 billion repair backlog.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've had over 40 days of no hot water over the last 11 months. And we're now on day eight or nine straight of no hot water. I had to walk 15 minutes in the snow and ice to a friend's house so I could shower.”

— Alex Hughes, Williamsburg tenant (New York Post)

“The heat in my building has been going out almost every night, forcing me to bundle up inside and dress my dog in sweaters to wait out the cold weather.”

— Nicole Pavez, 31-year-old city planner from Astoria, Queens (New York Post)

What’s next

Lawmakers are asking if the socialist mayor has done enough to protect tenants as heat complaints reach record highs, and the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants is 'taking a long, hard look at the Housing Maintenance Code and how it's enforced.'

The takeaway

The heating crisis in New York City highlights the ongoing challenges of maintaining aging public housing infrastructure and the pressure on city leaders to prioritize tenant protections, especially during extreme weather events. The situation raises questions about the effectiveness of the city's emergency response and the mayor's ability to address long-standing issues in the housing system.