Former New York City Andrew Cuomo (D) is calling on self-described New York City mayoral candidate Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani to move out of his rent-controlled apartment, pointing out that Mamdani and his wife could afford the rising rent. In an X post, Cuomo noted that Mamdani and his wife are wealthy, have had weddings on three continents, and that together they “likely make well over $200,000.” Cuomo pointed out that the socialist, who wants to tax white neighborhoods, are wealthy yet live in a rent-stabilized apartment that only costs them $2,300-- cheap compared to the cost of rent in New York City, which has escalated.
"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," Cuomo wrote. “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.”
Cuomo criticized the fact that Mamdani pays close to nothing for his swanky Astoria apartment, arguing that such housing should be reserved for low-income New Yorkers in need amid a severe affordability crisis, saying it is "time to move out."
"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," the former governor added. "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.”
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.
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) August 8, 2025
You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman. You’ve had weddings on 3 continents.… https://t.co/kWXUI0MxdA pic.twitter.com/mvYZfCO8Af
In a recent interview, Mamdani was questioned about his need for a rent-stabilized apartment. He responded that if he had the option to implement a rent freeze, he wouldn’t choose to live in a rent-stabilized unit but would instead reside in a new apartment on the Upper East Side.
"I think what we should be fighting for is the vast majority of people who are living in those apartments,” Mamdani said. “If I was able to put in a rent freeze, I wouldn’t be in a rent-stabilized apartment. I would actually be on the Upper East Side, in a new apartment.”
Reports say Mamdani is the son of renowned Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair and was raised in a privileged environment. His father, a well-known Marxist scholar at Columbia University, exposed him to film sets during his childhood.