Mayor commits to making transit free and building more affordable units in first term
As Mayor Zohran Mamdani takes office facing a $7 billion budget gap and economic pressures threatening to undermine his progressive campaign promises, he remains committed to two marquee initiatives: making city buses free and fundamentally reshaping housing development through zoning reform. Both goals, ambitious even in the best of fiscal times, will require sustained political will, state legislative action, and creative financing mechanisms that the new administration has only begun to detail publicly.
Making Buses Free: Promise and Obstacles
During his Albany testimony, Mamdani repeatedly mentioned his goal to make buses fast and free, a signature campaign pledge that would eliminate fares for the estimated 5.7 million New Yorkers who ride city buses annually. The promise appeals to transit riders struggling with rising costs while addressing equity concerns about transportation access. However, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a state-controlled agency, sets bus policy and fare structures. Mamdani lacks direct authority to implement the change unilaterally, requiring state legislative action and potential state funding to replace fare revenue. The MTA typically collects approximately $1 billion annually from bus fares. State Senator Jabari Brisport, a Democratic Socialist ally of the mayor, has discussed the possibility of securing state funding for free bus rides, but such action remains unlikely without significant shifts in state politics or budget priorities.
Housing Development Strategy
On housing, Mamdani has indicated his administration will pursue aggressive zoning reforms to increase housing supply and reduce costs through market mechanisms. Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg, who negotiated the City of Yes for Housing rezoning under the Adams administration, brings experience in housing policy. The administration has discussed plans to raise the city’s debt limit to finance more construction and work with Albany to change state laws governing property taxes and land use. These moves could unlock billions in new housing development, addressing what Mamdani characterized during his campaign as the city’s central affordability crisis.
Aligning with Hochul
Governor Hochul has indicated interest in collaborating with Mamdani on housing and early childhood education, areas where their policy goals may align despite tensions over taxation and state funding. Early signals suggest potential partnership on housing initiatives, though details remain scarce. The governor has proposed significant state investments in early childhood education, an area Mamdani also prioritizes.
First Deputy Mayor’s Role
First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan, drawing on decades of Albany experience, has been tasked with advancing these ambitious goals through state negotiations. Fuleihan’s background as budget director under de Blasio suggests he understands both the fiscal constraints limiting what the city can fund independently and the political pathways for securing state cooperation.
Challenges Ahead
Republican lawmakers in Albany have already challenged Mamdani’s spending agenda, arguing that raising taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations risks further population exodus. The Assembly Minority Leader called for tax relief and meaningful affordability improvements rather than continued government spending growth. Mamdani countered that middle and working-class New Yorkers have already fled due to housing affordability, and that taxing the wealthy is essential to funding services including housing development and transportation.
Public Interest and Accountability
The public remains closely watching whether Mamdani can deliver on transportation and housing promises or whether budget constraints and political opposition will force compromises. The mayor’s success in navigating these competing demands while showing tangible progress will be critical to his political credibility and the morale of supporters who powered his election through grassroots organizing. As the administration approaches spring budget season, the contours of Mamdani’s housing and transportation agenda will become clearer as preliminary budget details emerge and state negotiations advance.
