Zohran Mamdani signs orders targeting NYC’s worst housing crisis, and his first target is now facing court intervention over thousands of violations

Newly sworn-in Mayor Zohran Mamdani didn’t waste a second getting to work, making his first massive policy announcement right after his grand inauguration ceremony. He signed three new executive orders aimed squarely at protecting tenants and fast-tracking desperately needed housing across New York City, as reported by NBC New York.

The mayor is building upon his campaign crusade to freeze the rent, but he’s making it clear that his efforts won’t stop there. Mamdani wants to completely revitalize the city’s approach to the housing crisis, starting with immediate intervention.

He’s reinvigorating the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and has already named a new director, housing advocate, and tenant organizer, Cea Weaver. This office is clearly going to be focused on the aggressive defense of tenants’ rights, acting swiftly to intervene when people are dealing with illegal or unsafe living conditions.

Mamdani pledged, “If your landlord does not responsibly steward your home, city government will step in.”

The administration wasted no time proving they mean business, declaring their very first major action would be intervening in the bankruptcy proceedings of Pinnacle Realty. Pinnacle has received over 5,000 violations and 14,000 complaints, according to the administration, not to mention a significant amount of money owed to the city. Mamdani said the city plans to “seek immediate relief and improve living conditions for Pinnacle tenants.”

To drive home the urgency of the matter, Mamdani signed his new executive orders at a building owned by Pinnacle itself. That’s a powerful visual that shows the new administration is willing to take on the city’s worst offenders right away. But the mayor knows that enforcement alone isn’t enough; you also need to increase the supply of available homes. That’s why he created two brand-new task forces designed to cut through bureaucratic red tape and speed up construction: SPEED and LIFT.

The LIFT Task Force, which stands for Land Inventory Fast Track, will focus on using city-owned land strategically. The goal is simple: leverage existing city property to accelerate development, increase supply, and ultimately drive down housing costs. The task force will review city properties and figure out which sites are suitable for housing development no later than July 1, 2026. Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg will oversee the LIFT team.

The SPEED Task Force, which is short for Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development, is all about fighting bureaucracy. SPEED will identify and remove the permitting barriers and red tape that hinder housing construction and lease-up, making it more affordable and easier to access housing across the entire city. Deputy Mayor Bozorg will co-manage the SPEED team alongside Deputy Mayor of Operations Julia Kerson.

Following the revocation of Eric Adams’ directives post-his indictment, Mamdani is making it clear that he’s taking the housing crisis head-on immediately. “On the day when so many rent payments are due, we will not wait to deliver action,” Mamdani said. “Yes we know we are fighting for a rent freeze, but that is not the extent of our efforts.