US News Metro Long Island Politics

Sports NFL MLB Olympics NBA NHL College Football College Basketball WNBA

Business Personal Finance

Entertainment TV Movies Music Celebrities Awards Theater

Lifestyle Weird But True Sex & Relationships Viral Trends Human Interest Parenting Fashion & Beauty Food & Drink Travel

Health Wellness Fitness Health Care Medicine Men’s Health Women’s Health Mental Health Nutrition

Science Space Environment Wildlife Archaeology

Today’s Paper Covers Columnists Horoscopes Crosswords & Games Sports Odds Podcasts Careers

Email Newsletters Official Store Home Delivery Tips

Switch between CA and NY editions here.

Why doesn’t Mayor Mamdani care about NYCHA affordable housing?

We’re starting to wonder if Mayor Zohran Mamdani has any real interest in promoting affordable housing in New York, rather than just posing on the issue: Why else would he ignore the thousands of public-housing units that sit empty for lack of funds to renovate?

The city Department of Investigation just identified 6,740 apartments now warehoused because the New York City Housing Authority can’t find the cash to bring them up to code.

The cost is only an estimated $52,000 per unit, far less than Mamdani wants to spend on other housing plans: The Queens project he’s asking President Donald Trump to fund would cost hundreds of times that per apartment.

Indeed, he could help renovate tens of thousands of private units now kept off the market for far less than that pipedream.

But back to NYCHA: The vacant units put other tenants in danger, as drug crews and vagrants seize them for illegal squats.

Indeed, squatters sit in hundreds of these apartments, while 165,000 law-abiding families languish on NYCHA’s waitlist.

More From Post Editorial Board

The obvious signs the Iran war is part of larger contest with Russia and China

Gavin Newsom’s military diss, wealth taxes won’t work and other commentary

Democrats play puerile partisan politics over war and peace

Mr. Mayor: You are the landlord to half a million public-housing tenants, with a duty to address their inhumane living conditions — rats, dilapidation, lack of heat and hot water, poisonous mold and lead paint.

Bart Schwartz, the federal monitor overseeing the beleaguered agency since 2019, says NYCHA is “fraught with serious problems in structure, culture, and directions, and perhaps even worse.”

Mamdani’s rent freeze and “rental ripoff” hearings (where NYCHA tenants can’t ask questions!) will do nothing for these New Yorkers — are they just not bourgeois enough for him?

Or is it simply that facing the dysfunction of public housing would make a mockery of his plans to “socialize” buildings that are now private?

For what it’s worth, the NYPD cares: It drove crime in public housing down 14.7% in February and 12.1% year-to-date with record-low shooting incidents, shooting victims, murders and robberies.

Instead of asking the president for $21 billion for the Sunnyside project, Mamdani could find $400 million in his own budget to rehab these NYCHA units.

You could probably even get a great TikTok video out of it, Mr. Mayor.

Douglas Murray Unlike past presidents, Trump delivered on his promise to eliminate our enemies

Unlike past presidents, Trump delivered on his promise to eliminate our enemies

Rich Lowry 'Self-serving glory hound' Kristi Noem got what she deserved

'Self-serving glory hound' Kristi Noem got what she deserved

Karol Markowicz Texas Dem's 'moderate' act exposes his party's new scam

Texas Dem's 'moderate' act exposes his party's new scam

Front Cover Back Cover

Trending Now on NYPost.com

This story has been shared 273,981 times. 273,981 The real reason why Kristi Noem's cuckold husband stayed married to her through Corey Lewandowski 'humiliation'

The real reason why Kristi Noem's cuckold husband stayed married to her through Corey Lewandowski 'humiliation'

This story has been shared 37,185 times. 37,185 Noem's answer on 'sexual relations' with Lewandowski was 'final straw' for Trump, sources say

Noem's answer on 'sexual relations' with Lewandowski was 'final straw' for Trump, sources say

This story has been shared 33,948 times. 33,948 Louisiana rapist mayor sports pearls in new mugshot — as sex offender record reveals half a dozen tacky tattoos

Louisiana rapist mayor sports pearls in new mugshot — as sex offender record reveals half a dozen tacky tattoos

Netflix dumps Meghan Markle in latest blow to troubled As Ever brand

The real reason why Kristi Noem's cuckold husband stayed married to her through Corey Lewandowski 'humiliation'

Sections & Features US News Metro World News Sports Sports Betting Business Opinion Entertainment Fashion & Beauty Shopping Lifestyle Real Estate Media Tech Science Health Travel Astrology Video Photos Alexa Covers Horoscopes Sports Odds Podcasts Crosswords & Games Columnists Classifieds

Post Sports+ Subscribe Articles Manage

Newsletters & Feeds Email Newsletters RSS Feeds NY Post Official Store Home Delivery Subscribe Manage Subscription Delivery Help

NY Post Official Store

Home Delivery Subscribe Manage Subscription

Help/Support About New York Post Editorial Standards New York Post Awards & Recognition Customer Service Apps Help Community Guidelines Contact Us Tips Newsroom Letters to the Editor Licensing & Reprints Careers Vulnerability Disclosure Program

New York Post Awards & Recognition

Contact Us Tips Newsroom Letters to the Editor Licensing & Reprints Careers Vulnerability Disclosure Program

Letters to the Editor

Vulnerability Disclosure Program

Apps iPhone App iPad App Android Phone Android Tablet

Advertise Media Kit Contact

© New York Post