Controversial Comments by New Tenant Advocate
The newly appointed tenant advocate for Mayor Zoran Mamdani has stirred up some controversy. Shea Weaver has made statements on social media, calling for the “seizure of private property” and labeling home ownership as a “weapon of white supremacy.”
In various posts on her now-deleted X account, Weaver urged her followers to support more communist candidates. One striking statement from June 2018 proclaimed, “Take private property!”
Weaver later expanded on her views in a brief manifesto in August 2019, repeating that “private property of all kinds, especially homeownership, is a weapon of white supremacy.”
Back in December 2017, she advocated for electing more communists, particularly when a street corner in Harlem was renamed after former Congressman Vito Marcantonio, who was known for his communist ties.
She has also been critical of law enforcement, sharing her thoughts in a May 2020 post during the protests triggered by George Floyd’s death, saying, “The police are just people whose murders are sanctioned by the state.”
Affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, Weaver previously worked as a campaign coordinator for Housing Justice for All and played a key advisory role in Mamdani’s campaign.
Some property owners have expressed concerns about Weaver’s and Mamdani’s approaches. Humberto Lopez, the founder of Gotham Housing Alliance, questioned how housing could be sustained without landlords. He emphasized, “You put in place a system that puts landlords out of business. Why are you sticking with us?”
Mamdani’s plan includes freezing rents for approximately one million rent-regulated apartments, a proposal that would need approval from the Rent Guidelines Committee.
Weaver’s office, along with Mamdani’s, did not provide immediate comments regarding the backlash.
Alongside these developments, Mamdani appointed Dina Levy, a veteran state housing official, as the new director of Housing Preservation and Development. Mamdani praised Levy, noting her experience and commitment to addressing the housing crisis effectively.
Mamdani has made it clear that he intends to address issues such as unfair pricing in housing. His executive order aims to establish public hearings across five boroughs to give residents a voice in tackling the housing crisis, which he claims has forced many New Yorkers to live in unsafe conditions.
Levy expressed her readiness to confront the challenges ahead in improving and expanding affordable housing in the city, acknowledging that the path will be demanding.
One of HPD’s key responsibilities includes enforcing housing maintenance regulations, ensuring safety inspections, filing lawsuits against landlords, and requesting emergency repairs for tenants.
