Mayor Eric Adams is maneuvering to change the composition of New York City’s rent commission to counter Zoran Mamdani’s prominent “rent freeze” promise. There are talks of bringing in fellow real estate figures and reality TV personalities for these positions, according to reports.
Adams is looking to fill at least six seats on the Rent Guidelines Committee. Sources suggest that the majority of the nine-member board is being overhauled ahead of the anticipated mayoral race featuring the Socialist Party’s frontrunner.
One potential appointee is Eleonora Surgo, a friend of Adams and a reality TV real estate agent known for her Netflix series, “Selling the City.”
“It’s not just about freezing rent,” a source stated. “Landlords must be able to manage rent-stabilized properties. Affordability is key, especially with rising energy costs.
“These buildings need to last.”
Mamdani, who identifies as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is a leading candidate for the upcoming November election, has prominently featured the rent freeze idea for the city’s approximately 1 million rent-stabilized units in his campaign.
However, landlords are strongly opposing this initiative, arguing that capping rent hikes might eventually make these buildings fall into disrepair, especially given the current economic pressures.
Kayla Mamelak, the mayor’s spokeswoman, emphasized the mayor’s commitment to supporting working-class New Yorkers and the ongoing push for affordable housing. “As for any appointments, we’ll make formal announcements once they’re finalized,” she added.
While Mamelak expressed reservations about the appointment strategy, she underscored the mayor’s authority to make these changes at any time.
The mayor doesn’t have the power to single-handedly limit the rent prices for stabilized tenants, but he does hold considerable sway over the Rent Guidelines Board, which consists of various mayoral appointees expected to represent the interests of different stakeholders.
Adams’ last-minute adjustments could significantly restrain Mamdani’s ability to implement his plans for the first two years of what would be his potential administration. Of the eight members with fixed terms, two are on four-year terms while the rest serve varying intervals of two to three years. The ninth member, the Speaker, serves at the Mayor’s discretion.
Currently, six commissioners are in the middle of their terms, some continuing from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, and could be let go at any point. One of Adams’ appointees is set to retire at the end of December.
Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo hinted at these changes during the recent mayoral debate, critiquing his socialist opponent and asserting that it would be unrealistic for Mamdani to deliver on his rent goals without control over the board.
Earlier this year, Adams selected members who approved a 3% rent increase for stabilized units, though he urged the board to consider the burdens posed by high living costs on tenants.
De Blasio previously leveraged public sentiment to achieve multiple rent freezes for stable apartments.
Mamdani has consistently pointed to a report from the RBG, which indicated that landlords of these buildings enjoyed a 12% profit. Yet, this figure may not fully capture the situation since it accounts only for revenue minus operating costs, neglecting mortgage expenses owners have to manage.
