Mamdani’s First Orders Focus on Housing and Undoing Adams’s Decisions

On his very first day in office as New York City’s newly inaugurated mayor, Zohran Mamdani outlined an ambitious and transformative agenda centered on housing reform, tenant protections, and a sweeping reversal of many policies and executive actions put in place by his predecessor, Eric Adams. The dawn of Mamdani’s administration marked a clear shift in political direction for America’s largest city, as the Democratic Socialist leader moved quickly to enact a series of executive orders that underscore his commitment to addressing the deepening housing crisis and reshaping municipal governance in ways that prioritize affordability, equity, and community empowerment.

Shortly after taking the oath of office on January 1, Mamdani signed several executive orders designed to cancel most of the directives issued by Adams later in his term, especially those signed following Adams’s federal indictment in 2024. This action was framed by the new mayor as a necessary step toward resetting city government after a period that many residents and political observers saw as tumultuous or lacking in progressive direction. By revoking these orders, Mamdani signaled his intention to start fresh and build an agenda that reflects his campaign promises — particularly on housing and tenant rights — while also reinforcing public trust in city leadership amid ongoing political divisions.

One of the central pillars of Mamdani’s first orders was a robust focus on housing. With New York City’s affordability crisis worsening over years of stagnant wages and rising rents, the new mayor emphasized the need for decisive action to protect tenants and expand access to affordable housing. His executive orders included measures to revive and strengthen the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, a position that had eroded under previous administrations but now stands as a cornerstone of Mamdani’s housing agenda. By appointing a prominent tenant advocate to lead this office, Mamdani underscored his commitment to shifting the city’s policy focus toward tenant empowerment and strategic reuse of city-owned land to expand housing stock.

In addition to institutional reforms, Mamdani also established task forces aimed at accelerating housing development and streamlining bureaucratic processes that have historically slowed construction. These task forces, tasked with eliminating red tape, encouraging equitable development, and making it easier to build safe, affordable units, reflect the mayor’s broader belief that government should play a proactive role in alleviating housing shortages rather than leaving solutions solely to market forces. Most of these initiatives are intended to make tangible improvements in neighborhoods throughout the city, particularly in areas where residents have faced the brunt of displacement and skyrocketing rents.

Housing advocates welcomed the new direction with cautious optimism, viewing Mamdani’s moves as a long-awaited recognition of the struggles faced by millions of New Yorkers. For years, community leaders and tenant organizations have decried the lack of meaningful action from City Hall, especially as evidence mounted that rent burdens and homelessness were rising across boroughs. With his first set of executive actions, Mamdani affirmed that housing justice would be a defining theme of his tenure, pledging to protect renters from predatory practices, create new pathways for affordable living, and repurpose unused or underutilized city properties for housing development.

Equally notable, however, was Mamdani’s decision to undo many of the executive orders issued by Adams in the final years of his term. This sweeping reversal was not without controversy; some city officials and residents worried that erasing the former mayor’s policies wholesale could disrupt continuity and lead to administrative confusion. Yet for Mamdani, the move was symbolic of his broader agenda to distance the city from policies he and his supporters viewed as ineffective or misaligned with the needs of working New Yorkers. Among the orders revoked were those related to rent stabilization, law enforcement policies, and other administrative directives that had drawn criticism during Adams’s tenure.

Critics of Mamdani’s early actions have raised concerns about the pace and scale of changes, arguing that wholesale revocation of prior directives could undermine stability at a time when residents are already grappling with economic uncertainty. Some advocacy groups also expressed worry that aggressive shifts in housing policy could face legal challenges or unintended consequences in implementation. Despite these criticisms, Mamdani’s team maintained that recalibrating city policy was necessary and overdue, framing their approach as both bold and responsive to the lived realities of constituents who have long felt marginalized.

Beyond housing, Mamdani’s orders also touched on broader issues related to social equity, including plans to refocus municipal outreach toward historically underserved communities and to expand support systems for vulnerable residents. While housing dominated the early agenda, these ancillary measures suggest a broader vision that seeks to entwine economic justice, social support, and community empowerment as interlocking goals of city governance.

As the new year unfolds, the impact of Mamdani’s early orders will be closely watched by residents, stakeholders, and political observers alike. Whether these sweeping changes will translate into long-term improvements in affordability and quality of life in New York City remains an open question, but the clearly articulated direction — prioritizing housing justice and reversing the course of previous administration policies — indicates a dramatic shift in municipal priorities unlikely to go unnoticed.