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As Polls Tighten, Mamdani Draws Fierce Backlash Over Rent Freeze and Big-Ticket Plans

Economists and finance executives intensify warnings about feasibility.

Overview

  • An AtlasIntel survey reported by the New York Post shows Zohran Mamdani’s lead narrowing to four points over Andrew Cuomo going into Election Day.
  • Cliff Asness labeled the proposed rent freeze a “hydrogen bomb” for the real estate market, echoing Fortress co-CEO Drew McKnight’s warning that it would choke new supply.
  • Policy analysts and the New York Apartment Association argue a freeze would deter construction and shift costs to market-rate tenants, with scope disputed between roughly 1 million stabilized units and the campaign’s claim of about 2 million residents affected.
  • Pressed on MSNBC’s Morning Joe about costs, Mamdani said a $30 minimum wage would be phased in for small businesses and that grocery-store tax breaks would be redirected to fund five city-run markets.
  • Critics cite failed municipal grocery experiments and caution that fare-free buses could carry higher-than-advertised costs, while major tax hikes for new programs would require approval from Albany.