Mayor Mamdani backs away from campaign promise to provide rental assistance in New York

Minara Helen: Zohran Mamdani has U-turned on a campaign pledge to help New Yorkers pay their rent.

The New York City mayor backtracked on his promise to throw his support behind an affordable housing initiative providing vouchers to families struggling to afford accommodation.

The City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) is a rental subsidy programme supporting eligible New Yorkers to help pay monthly rent for up to five years anywhere in the state. The billion-dollar programme, which serves more than 60,000 households, had planned to expand in an effort to combat growing homelessness rates.

The expansion plans were passed by the City Council, but opposed by Eric Adams, New York’s former mayor, who refused to implement the decision.

The fight was taken to court by Legal Aid on behalf of low-income New Yorkers, arguing that the mayor failed to comply with laws passed by the council to address the housing crisis, according to a Legal Aid Society document seen by The Telegraph.

A judge ruled that the expansion should go ahead. However, Mr Adams lodged an appeal against the ruling. Programme too costly

On the campaign trail, Mr Mamdani applauded the court’s decision and said that Mr Adams should implement the expansion of the programme and that he would not support the appeal if elected. He also pledged to ensure expansion.

However, on Thursday the democratic socialist hinted that the programme’s expansion would be too costly. The city’s budget deficit currently sits at $7bn (£5.5bn). Mr Mamdani said: “Right now we are pursuing a settlement in this case, and that is a pursuit that looks to both prevent homelessness in our city while also delivering a budget that is not just responsible, but also sustainable.”

When asked how he would keep homeless people off the streets if he failed to increase the number of rent vouchers available, Mr Mamdani responded: “We’re taking a number of different measures,” including “rental rip-off hearings” and establishing a point of contact in the mayor’s office for renters in difficulty.

“We continue to take an all-of-government approach on this,” he added. Local leaders frustrated with setback

Homelessness in New York City continues to be on the rise, reportedly reaching an all-time high of up to 140,000. Mr Mamdani halted homeless encampment sweeps upon taking office on Jan 1.

Local leaders, who deem this programme essential, expressed frustration with the setback.

Christine Quinn, the president of Win, New York City’s largest provider of shelter and services for homeless families, said: “Housing vouchers are our best tool to end homelessness. We can’t afford not to expand them.”

“Affordability was a central campaign promise for the mayor, and expanding housing vouchers is one of the clearest ways to make good on that promise,” Crystal Hudson, the New York council member and general welfare committee chairman, said.

Brian Romero, the New York assembly candidate, reflected on his own homelessness when advocating for the expansion. “If CityFHEPS were around when my family struggled maybe we wouldn’t have been homeless. Rental assistance saves lives,” he said.

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