In the 1980s NYC seized 100K housing units making it the largest landlord in the US. They became symbols of urban decay: mismanaged, poorly maintained, and rife with crime. Zohran doesn’t remember because he just became a citizen 7 years ago.
Zohran Mamdani, a New York City mayoral candidate, has a housing plan outlined on his campaign website that includes:
- 200,000 Housing Units: Aims to build 200,000 rent-stabilized homes over 10 years, costing $100 billion, targeting low-income households.
- Funding: Proposes $70 billion in municipal bonds and using city-owned land to sidestep private developers.
- Rent Stabilization: Seeks a rent freeze for 2.4 million tenants and expansion to new units, requiring state approval.
- Social Housing: Advocates for a Social Housing Development Authority and 100% social housing on city-owned land.
- Zoning Reform: Plans citywide zoning changes to boost affordable housing capacity.
His plan faces risks of increasing vacancies through rent controls, straining city finances with significant debt, and opposition from Albany, notably Governor Kathy Hochul.
Zohran Mamdani: "We will slowly buy up the housing on the private market and convert properties into communes" pic.twitter.com/u7RQxaERYt
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 1, 2025
What does he mean by the Vienna Model?
Zohran Mamdani’s reference to the “Vienna Model” likely points to Vienna, Austria’s social housing system, which prioritizes public and cooperative ownership for affordability. While Mamdani’s specific take isn’t fully detailed in his campaign materials, the Vienna Model involves:
1. **Large Public Housing Stock**: Vienna owns or subsidizes about 420,000 units (220,000 municipal, 200,000 cooperative), housing 60% of its 1.9 million residents, with rents averaging $700 for a large one-bedroom.
2. **Rent Control**: Strict controls keep rents at 18-27% of income, with secure tenure to prevent evictions, unlike market-driven systems.
3. **Mixed-Income Housing**: Serves middle and lower classes, promoting social integration across neighborhoods.
4. **Public Funding**: Financed through taxes and municipal bonds, minimizing private developer influence, with the city retaining land ownership.
5. **Quality Design**: Emphasizes high-quality architecture and amenities like courtyards and clinics.
Mamdani’s idea of converting private housing into “communes” likely draws from Vienna’s cooperative housing, aligning with his plan for 200,000 rent-stabilized units and a Social Housing Development Authority. Critics warn his rent freezes could cause shortages, degrade housing stock, and strain finances, as some claim occurred in Vienna historically. His “communes” term may exaggerate cooperative ownership, not implying literal communal living. Applying this model in NYC faces hurdles due to differing land markets and extremely vociferous political opposition.