Are You A Bad Landlord In New York? Zohran Mamdani Might Take Your House. Yes, Really

Last Updated:May 29, 2026, 22:37 IST

Zohran Mamdani said the city would “explore all the tools available” to deal with what he described as the top 10 worst landlords in New York.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is taking aim at what he calls the city’s “worst landlords" and under a new housing proposal, some property owners could even see their buildings seized and handed over to new operators. Zohran Mamdani said his administration is preparing a sweeping enforcement push targeting the city’s most persistent housing offenders, alongside plans to expand affordable housing and improve living conditions for tenants.

“The crisis in New York City is not just the cost of housing, but also the conditions of housing," Zohran Mamdani told a crowd of young renters at the student-organised event.

The mayor’s proposed “Block By Block" housing plan includes stronger action against landlords with repeated violations, particularly those with severe unresolved maintenance issues such as heating failures, leaks, pest infestations and unsafe living conditions.

Zohran Mamdani said the city would “explore all the tools available" to deal with what he described as the top 10 worst landlords in New York, including the possibility of transferring ownership of persistently neglected buildings.

“That we can actually start to explore all of the tools we need to transfer ownership of those properties to those who will actually safely steward them- whether they are nonprofit, a community land trust, or the tenants themselves," he said.

In lighter terms, the proposal is being framed by supporters as a “fix it or forfeit it" approach to housing enforcement though officials say any action would follow legal processes under housing and code enforcement laws. The plan also includes what Zohran Mamdani called “roof-to-basement inspections," where multiple city agencies would coordinate full-building checks when tenant groups raise major complaints.

“So often tenant unions are left in the dark as to what the conditions actually are," Zohran Mamdani said, adding, “We’re going to change that."

The proposal builds on existing city data tracking landlords with the worst housing violations. The New York City Public Advocate already publishes an annual “Worst Landlord Watchlist," ranking property owners with the highest number of unresolved complaints.

In 2025, the list included several landlords with thousands of open violations each, covering issues ranging from broken heating systems to hazardous building conditions. The broader “Block By Block" plan also outlines ambitions to build 200,000 new affordable homes over the next decade, preserve another 200,000 units, expand housing cooperatives and increase enforcement against negligent property owners.

Zohran Mamdani has argued that enforcement has been too weak for too long, saying housing code violations have historically been treated “like a suggestion, not a requirement."

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