Hakeem Jeffries Throws Zohran Mamdani Under the Bus for Living in a Rent-Controlled Apartment

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) threw Zohran Mamdani under the bus over his continued enjoyment of a rent-controlled apartment during a recent interview on CNBC.

Host Andrew Ross Sorkin brought up the topic by observing that Andrew Cuomo, the former governor running against Mamdani as an independent, “has made the point that Zohran Mamdani lives in a rent-controlled department, even though he is not considered quote, unquote ‘poor,’ and that Andrew Cuomo would actually try to create a law in the state that would prevent people like Mamdani from being, from living in a rent-controlled apartment.”

“Do you think that he should live in a rent-controlled apartment?” asked Sorkin.

“Well listen, that’s an issue for the state legislators and the state government to work out –” began Jeffries before Sorkin cut him off.

“But no, it’s a fascinating issue about affordability in this city, and whether there are folks who are living in rent-controlled apartments all across this city that effectively should be going towards poor people who need that affordability,” insisted the CNBC host.

“It’s a legitimate issue that has been raised, and the Mamdani campaign is gonna have to address it,” declared Jeffries.

The Democratic leader has not yet made an endorsement in the mayor’s race, though he did meet with Mamdani in Brooklyn last month.

Cuomo has been highly critical of Mamdani for continuing to take advantage of a rent-controlled apartment despite his privileged background and steady income.

“Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman @ZohranKMamdani are occupying her rent controlled apartment,” wrote Cuomo on X last week. “You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman. You’ve had weddings on 3 continents. You own property in LGTBQIA+ murderous Uganda. You make $142,000 a year plus stipends, and your wife works too, meaning you together likely make well over $200,000. No matter which way you cut it: Zohran Mamdani is a rich person. You are actually very rich. Yet you and your wife pay $2,300 a month, as you have bragged, for a nice apartment in Astoria. That should be housing for someone who needs it.”

“We are in the middle of a historic affordability crisis. Millions of low income New Yorkers need this apartment and an apartment like it. Yet your apartment remains rented to rich people who don’t need it,” he continued. “Today, I am calling on you to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to  an unhoused family who need it. Leaders must show moral clarity. Time to move out.”

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