Mamdani's 'Rental Ripoff' Hearings to Exclude NYCHA Tenants

Mayor's new program will focus on private landlords, not public housing issues

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani's upcoming 'rental ripoff' hearings in New York City will exclude testimony from tenants of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the city's public housing agency that has long been criticized for poor living conditions. The hearings will only focus on renters and landlords in privately owned buildings, despite NYCHA being routinely called the 'worst' landlord in the five boroughs.

Why it matters

The exclusion of NYCHA tenants from Mamdani's hearings has drawn criticism, with housing advocates arguing that the city is 'dodging questions' about the problems in its own public housing units while putting on a 'show' about private landlord abuses. This raises questions about the mayor's housing policy priorities and ideology, which have included proposals to freeze rents on rent-regulated apartments and disparaging home ownership as a 'weapon of white supremacy'.

The details

Mamdani's administration will host the first 'rental ripoff' complaint session on February 26, but it will only focus on private market renters and landlords, not the over 500,000 tenants living in NYCHA properties. Property owners have criticized the city for excluding NYCHA tenants, arguing that if the hearings were truly about holding 'bad landlords accountable', then public housing residents should be able to participate. The mayor's team has acknowledged the exclusion, saying NYCHA staff will be on-site to help residents submit repair requests, but that the hearings will not include testimony from public housing tenants.

  • The first 'rental ripoff' complaint session will be held on February 26, 2026.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City who is hosting the 'rental ripoff' hearings that will exclude NYCHA tenants.

Humberto Lopes

The CEO of the Gotham Housing Alliance, who criticized the city for excluding NYCHA tenants from the hearings.

Cea Weaver

The director of the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants, who has made controversial statements disparaging home ownership as a 'weapon of white supremacy'.

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

The public housing agency in New York City that has long been criticized for poor living conditions and is routinely called the 'worst' landlord in the five boroughs.

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What they’re saying

“The city's own tenants—those living in public housing—are demanding a real plan to improve their living conditions. It appears the Mamdani administration woke up to their own hypocrisy.”

— Humberto Lopes, CEO, Gotham Housing Alliance

“If these hearings were truly about holding bad landlords accountable, the over 500,000 residents in NYCHA would be able to meaningfully participate. This is clearly the city trying to distract from its own failures while putting on a show, instead of having a real conversation with property owners, renters, NYCHA residents, and everyone else about how to improve housing for all.”

— Humberto Lopes, CEO, Gotham Housing Alliance

“Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist/failed public policy.”

— Cea Weaver, Director, Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants (New York Post)

“Elect more communists.”

— Cea Weaver, Director, Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants (New York Post)

What’s next

The Mamdani administration has stated that in the coming months, it will release a housing plan focused on improving housing quality for all New Yorkers, including those in public housing.

The takeaway

The exclusion of NYCHA tenants from Mamdani's 'rental ripoff' hearings highlights the mayor's apparent focus on private market issues over the longstanding problems in the city's public housing system. This raises concerns about the administration's housing policy priorities and ideology, which have included proposals to limit rent increases and disparage home ownership.