Mayor Mamdani Celebrates 100 Days in Office, Outlines Next Steps

Zohran Mamdani reflects on his first 100 days as mayor of New York City and shares plans to deliver more material benefits to working-class residents.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:20pm

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A photorealistic painting of a scaffolding structure on a New York City street, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene. The image conveys a sense of urban melancholy and the persistent challenges facing the city.As Mayor Mamdani works to address the city's ubiquitous scaffolding problem, the towering structures continue to cast a shadow over New York's neighborhoods.NYC Today

In an interview with Interview Magazine's Mel Ottenberg, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani discussed his first 100 days in office and the priorities for the next 100 days. Mamdani highlighted progress on issues like universal childcare, worker settlements, and holding landlords accountable, while also acknowledging the urgency of addressing housing challenges faced by vulnerable residents. The mayor expressed optimism about making meaningful change in the city despite the challenges, including the impact of the war in Iran on affordability.

Why it matters

As a progressive mayor elected on a platform of affordability and equity, Mamdani's first 100 days provide an early look at his ability to translate campaign promises into tangible policy changes that impact the lives of working-class New Yorkers. His focus on issues like housing, childcare, and worker protections reflects a commitment to addressing the city's most pressing socioeconomic challenges.

The details

In the interview, Mamdani discussed specific initiatives from his first 100 days, including $1.2 million in funding for universal childcare, $9.3 million in settlements for workers and small businesses, and $30 million secured from bad landlords to fix 6,000 apartments. He also outlined plans to increase building inspections and scaffolding fines to address the longstanding issue of ubiquitous construction scaffolding across the city. Mamdani acknowledged the impact of the war in Iran on affordability in New York and vowed to continue fighting for policies that make the city more livable for working-class residents.

  • Mamdani was inaugurated as mayor of New York City.
  • Mel Ottenberg first interviewed Mamdani shortly before his inauguration.
  • This follow-up interview took place 100 days into Mamdani's term, on April 12, 2026.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City, elected on a progressive platform focused on affordability and equity.

Mel Ottenberg

The editor-in-chief of Interview Magazine, who conducted the interviews with Mayor Mamdani.

Daniel Arnold

Ottenberg's photographer who accompanied him to the interview with the mayor.

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What they’re saying

“Sometimes, these kinds of stories, they get distilled into a statistic that we grow numb to. When you see it right there and then, it's hard to turn away from something like that.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

“We would celebrate that as an act of superhuman strength, but so often behind those stories of superhuman strength is institutional neglect.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

What’s next

Mayor Mamdani plans to visit housing court tomorrow to get a firsthand look at the challenges faced by residents navigating the system.

The takeaway

In his first 100 days, Mayor Mamdani has demonstrated a commitment to addressing the city's most pressing socioeconomic challenges, from affordable housing and childcare to worker protections. Despite the looming impact of the war in Iran on affordability, Mamdani remains optimistic about his ability to drive meaningful change and deliver tangible benefits to working-class New Yorkers.