Group Urges Mamdani to Build Affordable Housing on CUNY Land

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A think tank is pushing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to convert vacant or underutilized space on the campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY) system into potentially thousands of affordable housing units. The group argues that CUNY's sprawling properties could be leveraged to address the city's affordable housing crisis.

Why it matters

With housing costs continuing to rise in New York City, the conversion of CUNY's underused land into affordable homes could provide much-needed relief for low- and middle-income residents. As a major public institution, CUNY has a responsibility to serve the broader community, and this proposal aims to leverage its real estate assets for the public good.

The details

The think tank's proposal calls on Mayor Mamdani to work with CUNY leadership to identify vacant or underutilized spaces across the university's campuses that could be redeveloped into affordable housing. This could include repurposing parking lots, underused administrative buildings, or other underutilized land. The group believes this approach could create thousands of new affordable units without requiring the city to acquire additional property.

• The think tank released its proposal on February 16, 2026.

What’s next

The think tank's proposal will likely be considered by Mayor Mamdani and CUNY leadership as they explore ways to address the city's affordable housing crisis.