RIGHT SIDE

Like taking candy from a baby

Richard strocher

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s rent freezing policy may sound appealing on the surface, but in practice, it risks deepening New York City’s housing challenges. While marketed as a progressive win for tenants, such measures often result in fewer incentives for new housing development and exacerbate the shortage of affordable units in the long term.

Mamdani’s opposition to market-based housing solutions suggests a broader ideological stance that prioritizes short-term populism over sustainable growth. Rent control and rent freeze policies have historically led to reduced mobility, disinvestment in housing stock, and a stagnation in urban development. Rather than promoting vibrant, livable neighborhoods, these policies can inadvertently preserve economic inequality by locking people into subpar housing with no path forward.

His political support base is largely driven by promises of aggressive tenant protections and redistribution, which resonate with parts of the electorate frustrated by the city's affordability crisis. However, critics argue that these policies may backfire—entrenching poverty, discouraging property improvement, and pushing landlords to keep units vacant rather than navigate regulatory hurdles.

While Mamdani presents himself as a champion of the working class, voters should consider whether his policies are truly designed to empower upward mobility or merely offer symbolic wins at the cost of long-term economic health. New York needs forward-looking solutions, not performative ones that hinder innovation and investment.