Housing Stability in the Mamdani Administration

By Phillip Capper, Wellington, NZ – 143rd. St., Bronx, NY, 2/08, CC BY 2.0

I am looking forward to the discussion tonight on Housing Stability in the Mamdani Administration, hosted by the Urban Design Forum. While it is sold out, we will be discussing “what a potential rent freeze may look like under the Mamdani administration” and I am sure there will be some good reporting on this topic over the coming weeks and months. The Forum writes,

As living costs continue to rise, Mayor-elect Mamdani has proposed freezing rents on stabilized apartments as a way to support tenants and protect housing stability. At the same time, critics warn that such measures could make it harder for building owners—particularly those managing older buildings with thin margins—to maintain safe, livable homes.

We’ll begin with an overview presentation by Mark Willis of the Furman Center, followed by a panel with Oksana Mironova, Emily KurtzDavid Reiss, and Thomas Yuon how the next administration can promote tenant stability and preserve affordable housing.

What strategies can preserve deep affordability while ensuring stabilized buildings remain financially sustainable?

Understanding NYC’s Rent-Stabilized Housing Stock

I will be moderating an NYU Furman Center Policy Breakfast on NYC’s Rent-Stabilized Housing: Understanding Different Segments of the Stock and Why It Matters on November 19th. The link to register is here.

Nearly one million apartments in New York City are rent-stabilized. In 2023, the median rent among rent-stabilized tenants was about $1,500, compared with $2,000 for market-rate renters. These units play a central role in maintaining housing affordability across the city, yet they are often discussed as a single, uniform category.

Our policy breakfast will explore the diversity among buildings with rent-stabilized units, spanning older pre-1974 buildings and newer developments regulated because they received public financing or property tax reductions. Panelists will discuss how these differences shape the challenges and policy considerations facing the rent-stabilized housing stock today. The session aims to deepen understanding of the current landscape and to ground debate on what tailored interventions may be needed to preserve the affordability and quality of this essential part of New York City’s housing supply.

Panel
Kenny Burgos, Chief Executive Officer, New York Apartment Association
Emily Kurtz, Chief Housing Officer, RiseBoro Community Partnership, Inc.
Jane Silverman, Executive Director, Community Development Banking, JPMorgan Chase Bank
Samuel Stein, Senior Policy Analyst, Community Service Society

Moderator
David Reiss, Visiting Professor of Clinical Law, NYU School of Law,
and former Chair, Rent Guidelines Board

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 8:45 – 10:00 AM ET

NYU School of Law – Vanderbilt Hall
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

A livestream link will be provided for online attendees.