Ultra-progressive NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing fire over the low cost of his rent-controlled apartment, with former New York Gov. and current mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo calling for Mamdani to “move out immediately,” arguing that Mamdani’s apparent affluence should disqualify him from accessing affordable housing.
For background, on August 8, 2025, Andrew Cuomo ripped into his far-left opponent in the NYC mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, who Cuomo said “grew up rich” and earns a six-figure salary. The former governor of New York went on to make the case that Mamdani is a hypocrite for advocating for socialist policies when he is “actually very rich,” despite living in low-income housing.
Writing on X on August 8, Cuomo said, “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.” The former governor added, “You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman.”
Continuing, Cuomo said that Mamdani had had “weddings on 3 continents” and alleged that he owns property “in LGTBQIA+ (sic) murderous Uganda.” He went on, “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.”
Then, the former governor said that despite Mamdani’s apparent wealth, he and his wife “pay $2,300 a month, as you have bragged, for a nice apartment in Astoria.” He continued, “That should be housing for someone who needs it.” Cuomo then argued that Mamdani was living in an apartment “rented to rich people who don’t need it.”
Concluding his tirade, Cuomo addressed Mamdani directly, saying, “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.” Additionally, Cuomo attached photos and a video to his post, confirming that Mamdani had said “yes” when asked if he was “living in rent-stabilized housing.”
In response to Cuomo’s social media crusade against Mamdani, commenters appeared to share the former governor’s outrage. X user Kathleen Wood wrote, “Mamdani is more corrupt than I realized. He’s an expert in socialist fraud: rich, entitled, and hoarding housing to take it away from poor families who are forced to sleep in shelters. Disgusting!” Cuomo replied, “Disgusting is right.”
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Moreover, another commenter admitted that they were expecting to look in the comments section on Cuomo’s post and see the former governor “getting cooked with some other version of the story.” They added, “Sounds like you may have actually uncovered something here. Congratulations.”
Featured image credit: Zohran Mamdani via X