Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is proposing a “Zohran’s Law” to keep affluent individuals, including assemblyman and mayoral socialist Zohran Mamdani, from occupying rent-stabilized apartments.
On Sunday, Cuomo unveiled a proposal for new legislation that would introduce a “means test” to determine eligibility for rent-controlled apartments—factoring in monthly rent and other criteria. However, he didn’t provide detailed guidelines. For the bill to become law, it would need support from the Democrat-controlled state legislature and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). The move follows Cuomo’s criticism of Mamdani, who earns $142,000 annually and comes from a wealthy family—his mother is a filmmaker and his father is a professor—yet reportedly lives in a $2,300-a-month one-bedroom apartment in Astoria.
"I’m calling the legislation ‘Zohran’s Law.’ This is obviously an abuse of the system,” Cuomo said. “We’re not supposed to be providing rent-stabilized apartments to the children of millionaires.”
Today, I am proud to announce that I will be proposing “Zohran’s law," a law that will keep the rich out of New York’s affordable housing. @ZohranKMamdani : you say freeze the rent. But for who? Rich people like you? Hardworking, working class New Yorkers are being pushed from… pic.twitter.com/MMrsJzKeVQ
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) August 10, 2025
The former governor has launched a tirade against Mamdani, aiming to highlight what he describes as the assemblyman’s privileged background. Meanwhile, Mamdani—a self-identified socialist—continues to push for government-operated grocery stores, increased taxes on predominantly white neighborhoods, and free housing and healthcare for New Yorkers. Cuomo sharply criticized Mamdani for residing in a rent-controlled apartment, accusing him of taking up affordable housing intended for those truly in need. Framing the issue as a matter of ethics, Cuomo wrote: “Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept in a homeless shelter because you … are occupying her rent-controlled apartment."
The Mamdani campaign dismissed Cuomo’s attacks as a desperate attempt to smear his reputation. It criticized Cuomo's ongoing attacks as so-called baseless and desperate, emphasizing that Mamdani is focused on building support for affordable living in New York City.
"On the day of the National Dominican Day Parade, as Andrew Cuomo’s desperate, nonsensical attacks continue, Zohran is busy deepening his support from New Yorkers ready for a city they can afford,” Mamdani campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec said. “If Mr. Cuomo really cared for working people in New York City, he’d commit today to reimburse the taxpayers the $60 million we are spending on his personal legal defense — which could pay for thousands of affordable housing units instead of probing the gynecological records of women he harassed.”