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Zohran Mamdani will reveal stance on NYC housing ballot proposals ‘when he votes’
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 3, 2025
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Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 3, 2025
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Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral front-runner who has campaigned on affordability issues, plans to finally reveal his stance on a slate of consequential ballot proposals that seek to address New York City’s housing crisis — when he votes on them himself.
When asked at a press conference Monday if he was ready to share his position on the ballot questions aimed at streamlining housing development in the city, Mamdani replied with a grin, “No, brother, but when I do I know I’m calling you."
Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for the campaign, later said Mamdani would reveal his position “when he votes.”
Mamdani’s refusal to take a public position on the questions is a particularly striking example of the state assemblymember’s strategy to avoid rocking the boat ahead of the general election Tuesday.
Supporters of the proposals, which appear on the back of voters’ ballots, have pitched them as a way to speed up construction of more affordable housing. But the measures face fierce opposition from the City Council, which will lose say over development if they are passed. Some labor unions also oppose them because they fear losing leverage in negotiations over wages and working conditions.
Two of Mamdani's major allies, Gov. Kathy Hochul and City Comptroller Brad Lander, have expressed strong support for the proposals.
Amid those fraught political dynamics, the candidate has opted to stay out of the fight, even as he has talked about the importance of speeding up housing development.
“What I've heard from a lot of developers is one of the ways in which we are driving up costs in New York City is not even the dollar cost but actually the time costs,” Mamdani said in a June podcast interview. “The time and the delay is in part because of the processes by which we approach land use.”
But by taking a public position, Mamdani would be alienating a key constituency, whether it be pro-housing progressives, the City Council or unions.
“On the one hand, you have the possibility of offending a progressive Council, which is an ally,” Joseph Viteritti, a public policy professor at Hunter College, said. “On the other hand, you have the possibility of looking like you're not supporting affordable housing, which is also something that progressives support.”
Mamdani's decision to withhold his stance leaves voters in the dark about proposals that would alter the balance of power between the mayor and City Council and how housing is approved. More than 735,000 New Yorkers voted during early voting for the the Nov. 4 election, according to the Board of Elections.
The four housing proposals would fast-track the approval of affordable housing and simplify the review for “modest housing and minor infrastructure projects,” establish an appeals board that could reject the Council’s decisions and create a digital map of the city, making it easier for developers and planners to propose land-use changes.
The questions were written by a Charter Revision Commission appointed by Mayor Eric Adams, who has repeatedly clashed with the Council, and would grant the mayor more power over land-use decisions. Both the mayor and Council have flooded voters with mailers presenting their side of the issue.
Mamdani has also refused to say how he will vote on a measure that would change local elections to even years in an effort to boost turnout.
Viteritti, who previously served on a charter revision commission for Mayor Ed Koch, argued context is key when considering the ballot initiatives. “The process, to me, has become too politicized, in the worst sense of the word,” he said.
Mamdani’s choice to keep his opinion on the questions to himself stands in contrast to his opponents.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, has said he supports the changes, but last Friday issued a statement saying he would also seek to protect “the character of low-density neighborhoods.”
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa has said he is opposed to the housing proposals, which he criticized as taking away community input on land-use decisions.
During the final mayoral debate last month, both men skewered Mamdani for saying he had “not yet taken a position” on those proposals. But he said he was “appreciative” that the measures would be on the ballot.
“I also know that the jobs created in the building of that housing should be good jobs as well,” Mamdani said.
Tagged
Politics
Zohran Mamdani
andrew cuomo
curtis sliwa
economy
elections
housing
new york city
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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