Mayor’s Disagreement with Housing Official’s Remarks

New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani expressed his clear disagreement on Thursday with controversial statements made by housing officials that associate landlords with white supremacy.

During an interview, Mamdani was prompted by Henry Rosoff from PIX11 about his decision to appoint Thea Weaver, a Democratic Socialist of America activist, as head of the Mayor’s Office of Tenant Protection. This decision followed the resurfacing of old social media posts from Weaver’s now-deleted X account.

In one notable 2019 tweet, Weaver referred to private property, particularly home ownership, as “a weapon of white supremacy disguised as ‘wealth building’ public policy.”

Rosoff questioned Mamdani, asking if he thinks the comments create an unfair connection between landlords and white supremacy. Mamdani firmly replied, “Obviously, that’s not an opinion I share.” He clarified that his choice to appoint Weaver was based on her effectiveness in her role, not her past comments. He highlighted her achievements, noting her contributions to tenant rights not just in New York City but across the state, including her recent efforts with the Northern and Southern States Coalition.

In a subsequent interview with Spectrum News NY1, Weaver reflected on the backlash regarding her earlier comments and expressed regret about some of them, although she didn’t specify which. She stated, “I don’t think I’m crazy… Some of them are certainly not the way I would say them today, and I regret that.”

Weaver emphasized her commitment to addressing issues of racial inequality while serving New Yorkers, underscoring her experience in advocating for affordable housing and tenant rights. She believes many have faced barriers in accessing the real estate market, contributing to systemic and racial inequities.