NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and members of his transition team hosted a "Hot Chocolate, Frozen Rent" event on Thursday afternoon to bring awareness to the rising cost of rent in the city and how his administration plans to address it.

New York

Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani hosted a 'Hot Chocolate and Frozen Rent' event in Stuyvesant Square, Manhattan, where he distributed free hot chocolate to draw attention to the ongoing affordability crisis in New York City. The event aimed to spotlight the rising cost of rent, particularly for the city's more than 2 million rent-stabilized tenants, who have faced over a 12% increase in recent years.

Mamdani reiterated his campaign promise to freeze future rent hikes and hold landlords accountable for unresolved maintenance issues. He emphasized the need to appoint new members to the Rent Guidelines Board to achieve a rent freeze, with eight seats set to become available when he takes office. Mamdani also confirmed that he recently met with outgoing Mayor Eric Adams to discuss the transition but did not address potential appointments to the board.

Tenants brave cold temps for cup of hot cocoa from Mayor-elect Mamdani

Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani passed out free hot chocolate today, and he did it to bring awareness to the affordability crisis plaguing the city. News 12's Heather Fordham was at the Hot Chocolate and Frozen Rent event. She has more details from Manhattan. Amanda, Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani says while the weather is getting colder, the rent is getting higher. It's why he wanted to hold this event today to bring awareness to one of his core issues of his administration when he takes office next year. A line wrapped around the fountain in Stuyvesant Square as people bundled up for a cup of free hot chocolate from Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani. I'm very excited to have a mayor-elect who has a positive vision for the future and the city. Mamdani hosted a Hot Chocolate and Frozen Rent event to bring awareness to rising costs of rent in the city. Excited because we need the new blood. Apologies, because otherwise we're going backwards. A hike of 3% hit stabilized tenants this year. The incoming mayor ran on a promise to freeze future increases. We will hold landlords who refuse to address maintenance issues and put their tenants at risk accountable. We will ensure that our Office of Tenant Protection streamlines 311 requests and improves fine collection. But in order to bring a rent freeze to fruition, Mamdani will need to convince or elect new members to the Rent Guidelines Board, an independent body appointed by the mayor. Eight seats will be up when Mamdani takes office, unless Mayor Eric Adams fills the seats before he leaves City Hall. I am continuing to be confident, however, of our ability to fulfill the promise we've made to freeze the rent for more than 2 million rent-stabilized tenants. And the key part of this is we are talking about more than 2 million New Yorkers who have been subjected to more than 12% of a rent increase over these last few years. Mamdani met with outgoing Mayor Eric Adams earlier this week to discuss the transition of power. He says the two did not discuss the possibility of Mayor Eric Adams appointing a new Rent Guidelines Board before he leaves City Hall. In Gramercy, Heather Fordham, News 12.

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