NEW YORK – With less than one month to go before voting begins in the mayoral primaries, today, the New York State Tenant Bloc hosted a rally for its first-ever endorsements for New York City Mayor: Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander, calling for a rent freeze and telling voters to rank them #1 and #2 respectively. Leaders of the NYS Tenant Bloc voted to endorse Mamdani and Lander for their commitment to freezing the rent, reducing housing costs, and improving living conditions for tenants, who make up 70% of New York City.
Nearly 1,000 tenants gathered at the historic Riverside Church, energized and ready to mobilize the tenant vote in the final six weeks of the campaign. Tenants are fired up to vote in a rent freeze mayor after Eric Adams’s Rent Guidelines Board voted in late April to hike rents up as high as 7.75%. Tenants are the majority in New York and could be the deciding vote in the mayoral election.
“Freezing the rent and lowering the cost of living are Day 1 priorities for my campaign. The people who help our city run – nurses, caregivers, teachers, taxi drivers, and service industry workers – should not have to worry about losing their homes to skyrocketing rents. With the power of our city’s tenant majority, I believe we will win, and I will fight to ensure every New Yorker has a safe, affordable home,” said Zohran Mamdani, Assembly Member and mayoral candidate.
“Our city is facing a housing and homelessness emergency. From day one, I will work closely with tenants and the NYS Tenant Bloc to overcome this crisis. I will declare a housing state of emergency and do everything in my power to build housing that working families can afford. As mayor, I’ll stop the Adams’ administration’s assault on tenants and make sure every New Yorker knows their rights,” said Brad Lander, City Comptroller and mayoral candidate.
“Tenants are 70% of New York. We are the people who keep this city running every day – and we have the power to decide this election. Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander understand that freezing the rent is the single most powerful action the mayor can take to make New York affordable. Meanwhile Andrew Cuomo, every landlord’s favorite candidate, will hike up our rents to reward his real estate donors. Tenants have taken on Cuomo before and won – and we’re ready to do it again to elect a mayor who will put tenants first,” said Cea Weaver, director of the New York State Tenant Bloc.
Mamdani’s call for a four-year rent freeze from day one of his campaign and continued focus on the affordability crisis facing New Yorkers earned him the first spot on NYS Tenant Bloc ballots. Lander’s long-time advocacy for tenant protections and detailed plans to confront the homelessness crisis and build permanently affordable social housing earned him the second spot on ballots. Lander testified to the Rent Guidelines Board on April 24th that the data on landlord profits and tenant incomes supports the case for a rent freeze.
The demand for a rent freeze signals the growing voting power of New York’s tenant majority. The rent freeze is the only issue all major candidates – except Andrew Cuomo – have moved on. According to polling, 83% of NYC Democratic voters support a rent freeze.
In addition to the endorsements, the speakers with the Tenant Bloc reminded voters not to rank Cuomo and highlighted his disqualifying housing record. Cuomo is backed by millions of dollars of real estate cash and a committed opponent of the tenant movement. During his governorship, Cuomo repeatedly blocked tenant protections and cut homelessness programs while rewarding his real estate donors with massive tax breaks. If elected mayor, he is poised to once again to raise rents and put real estate interests above tenants.
The high cost of housing has been a top priority for voters with a recently released poll by Data for Progress finding that 54% of New Yorkers are considering leaving over housing costs.
A recent analysis from the Community Service Society shows a rent freeze would save New Yorkers up to $7 billion or an average of nearly $600 per month. Last month the Rent Guidelines Board found that landlord incomes have increased 12% – the biggest jump in 30 years. The Rent Guidelines Board appointed by Mayor Eric Adams voted in late April to hike rents up to 7.75%.
The NYS Tenant Bloc has launched a campaign to organize 20,000 tenant voters to vote only for mayoral candidates who will freeze the rent. Since February, hundreds of tenants have canvassed across New York City, collecting thousands of petition signatures demanding that candidates commit to a rent freeze.
“The tenant revolution has begun. Skyrocketing rents are pricing and pushing people out of the city they love, and we’ve had enough. We are demanding that the next mayor freeze the rent and fight for policies that keep people in their homes and allows our city to thrive. While Andrew Cuomo is focused on winning the favor of major developers and real estate interests, Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander recognize the power tenants hold in this and every future election,” said Joanne Grell, co-chair of the Freeze the Rent campaign for the New York State Tenant Bloc.
“Every time the rent goes up someone is forced to make an impossible decision. Too often they are forced to leave their homes, or must sacrifice essential medical care or food for their loved ones. We believe Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander are the best candidates for mayor and are excited to work alongside their campaigns to defeat Andrew Cuomo and win Gracie Mansion for tenants,” said Andrea Shapiro of Met Council Action and co-chair of the Freeze the Rent Campaign.
“Working class and immigrant people are seizing the chance to fight for this city we have long called home. We are championing Zohran Mamdani as a mayor for the people, because he is the sole candidate who has committed to a four-year rent freeze from day one,” said Alina Shen, Organizing Director at CAAAV Voice and co-chair of the Freeze the Rent Campaign. “We know that when real estate money controls politicians like Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams, we get rent hikes, evictions, and homelessness. As a tenant majority, we fight for a mayor who serves the working class—not the rich. We are building the kind of power that will give politicians no choice but to answer to us.”
