New York City's new mayor had a busy first day. Zohran Mamdani signed a slate of directives Thursday centered on housing and with making a clear break from predecessor Eric Adams, reports the New York Times. At a rent-stabilized building in Brooklyn long plagued by leaks, rusting pipes, and vermin, Mamdani rolled out orders strengthening his office's ability to protect tenants and creating two housing task forces meant to speed construction by finding available city land and cutting red tape. The democratic socialist, who campaigned on affordability and a rent freeze for nearly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments, said the goal was not only to hold the line on rents but to "stand up for tenants" and "get New Yorkers into housing faster."
Mamdani also moved swiftly to unwind part of Adams' legacy. One order cancels all executive actions Adams issued after his 2024 federal corruption indictment, which was later dropped. Mamdani argued that was the moment Adams forfeited public trust. Among the revoked directives: one that let federal immigration officials probe criminal activity at Rikers Island, and another that created a City Hall office devoted to blockchain technology, a longtime focus for Adams. A third one rankled Israel in particular.
"On his very first day as @NYCMayor, Mamdani shows his true face: he scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel," tweeted Israel's foreign ministry. "This isn't leadership. It's antisemitic gasoline on an open fire." The Adams order had adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, which it said included "demonizing Israel and holding it to double standards as forms of contemporary antisemitism," per the Guardian. Critics, however, say it was used too broadly to stifle any criticism of Israel.
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