Mamdani unveils fast-track program for critical housing cases in latest anti-landlord move: critics

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday unveiled a new program to fast track “critical” claims in housing court — the latest “anti-landlord” move from the democratic socialist darling, critics railed.Hizzoner held a press conference in Manhattan Housing Court to announce the launch of the initiative, which actually has been in effect since July 16.“People living in the worst conditions regularly wait weeks, if not months, for a case to be heard, for a decision to come, for critical repairs to be completed, for their situation to improve,” Mamdani told reporters.“Today we take a critical step towards ending that.”The program, established under an order by Hon.Shahabuddeen A.

Ally, the administrative judge of New York City Civil Court, gives priority to housing lawsuits involving “building-wide” conditions.The conditions that would make a suit eligible to be fast-tracked are:City Hall tied the program to the mayor’s agenda, saying it would will “help further the Mamdani administration’s efforts to hold negligent landlords accountable.”Officials touted the admin’s other “pro-tenant” efforts to grow renter power across the city, including Mamdani’s “Block by Block” housing plan and Rental Ripoff hearings.Ann Korchak, president of the advocacy group Small Property Owners of New York, slammed the fast-track court program as more of the same from the “anti-landlord” mayor.“Like Mamdani’s rental rip-off hearings and the rest of his housing agenda, this is another one-sided, anti-landlord policy,” she said in a statement.“Mamdani is completely ignorant of the fact that small building owners fall behind in repairs and maintenance not because of neglect, but because non-payment eviction proceedings drag out in Housing Court for months – even years – all while tenants are living rent-free and, in most cases, never pay the thousands of dollars in back rent,” she claimed.New York Apartment Association CEO Kenny Burgos said tha...