Mamdani's first 10 days show swift action on housing and childcare

Mamdani's first 10 days included new taskforces on housing and an executive order giving officials 45 days to bring city homeless shelters into compliance.

Zohran Mamdani took office and moved quickly to pursue housing and other campaign priorities. His early agenda has been discussed widely after warnings from some rightwing politicians and media before he assumed office. In his first days he announced measures on housing, shelter standards, jails, and a joint childcare plan with Governor Kathy Hochul. Key actions in the first 10 days: - Created two taskforces to review city-owned land for potential construction and to identify and remove bureaucratic and permitting barriers to building homes. - Announced a series of "rental ripoff" hearings for tenants to testify about living conditions, and issued an executive order giving officials 45 days to bring city homeless shelters into compliance with health and safety codes; officials were also asked to develop plans to improve conditions in city jails, including ending solitary confinement. - Released a joint plan with Governor Kathy Hochul to provide free childcare for two-year-olds in New York City. - Carried out small municipal repairs, including smoothing the steep dip at the Manhattan exit of the Williamsburg Bridge. Summary: Mamdani's early steps place housing, shelter standards and childcare at the centre of his agenda. Officials were given 45 days to bring shelters into compliance and taskforces will review city land and permitting barriers, while rental hearings were announced without specified dates. Undetermined at this time.