Mamdani's Rental Ripoff Report outlines actions to improve housing for tenants

July 16, 2026 - 17:42

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a new report on Thursday that he says lays out concrete steps to improve housing conditions for renters across the city. The document, titled the Rental Ripoff Report, comes after what the mayor described as a massive listening tour. Mamdani stated that his office heard directly from over 23,000 tenants who voiced their frustrations with rising rents, unresponsive landlords, and unsafe living conditions.

The report does not just list complaints. It offers a specific set of actions the city can take to address what the mayor called a "broken rental system." Among the proposed measures are stricter enforcement of existing housing codes, faster timelines for repairs in buildings with violations, and new penalties for landlords who try to push out rent-regulated tenants. Mamdani also called for expanding access to free legal counsel for tenants facing eviction.

"We asked people what was breaking their backs, and they told us," Mamdani said during a press conference. "This is not a think piece. This is a roadmap." The mayor emphasized that the proposals are designed to be practical and enforceable, not just symbolic. He noted that many tenants reported spending over half their income on rent, leaving little for other necessities.

The report has drawn mixed reactions. Tenant advocacy groups praised the focus on enforcement and legal aid, calling it a long-overdue shift in priorities. Landlord associations, however, warned that some of the proposed penalties could discourage property owners from making needed upgrades. Mamdani acknowledged the pushback but said the status quo is not acceptable. "We have a housing crisis, not a landlord crisis," he said. "But the burden of that crisis has fallen squarely on the backs of renters." The administration plans to introduce legislation based on the report's findings in the coming weeks.