Six months later, is the Mamdani effect changing New York?

WashingtonFree and fast buses. Freeze (some) rents. Daycares for everyone, universal and, therefore, free for children up to five years old. With these promises, the democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York last November, and also became the first to receive over a million votes. His charisma, social media, and 100,000 volunteers did the rest. But now that the mayor is close to completing 200 days in office, what exactly has he achieved?

Six months after starting his term, the 34-year-old mayor faces the complexity of some of his most applauded proposals, although he has also achieved important victories. On the one hand, some of his star measures have been delayed by administrative or bureaucratic processes, or present funding difficulties. This is what has happened, for example, with his promise of free buses, daycares, and tax increases for the wealthiest people.When, in a recent interview, a journalist asked the mayor if these proposals would see the light of day this year, Mamdani replied that he had always promised to achieve these changes "before the end" of his term, and assured that progress is being made on all of them. In the case of buses, New York already subsidizes public transport for lower incomes and, for now, Mamdani is promoting pilot programs and new bus routes. At the same time, the City Council is studying how to halve the price of transport for people with lower incomes.

Regarding nurseries, one of the most costly measures promised during the campaign, even the most critical media acknowledge that he has made great progress, both in terms of financing and regulation. As for public supermarkets, non-profit and present in each district, the mayor has included 70 million for this measure in his budget proposal, but he still has a long way to go.

However, this week the mayor has achieved two important victories: he has made the rent freeze he had promised prosper and has managed to get the three candidates he supported to win the Democratic Party primaries in New York. Furthermore, the latest polls indicate that Mamdani's popularity has grown in recent months and he has consolidated his success in the city.

58% Support

Specifically, 58% of New Yorkers approve of his management, while 26% disapprove. Compared to the same surveys in April, his approval rating has increased and his disapproval rating has decreased. The authors of the latest survey attribute this to the fact that Mamdani focused his campaign and his first months in office on the cost of living, an issue that city residents consider their main concern. New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

"A clear majority of voters believe that the cost of living is the most important issue they are facing right now," says Steven Greenberg, a Siena pollster, after the data was released. "And the majority of Democrats, Republicans, independents, men and women, young and old, black, Latino, and white people say this: they all agree that the cost of living is the main problem."

But his greatest success has undoubtedly been that this week the New York rent regulation body voted to freeze rents for nearly one million rent-stabilized apartments, where a total of 2.4 million New Yorkers live. The measure involves suspending rent increases for one and two-year leases, and will come into effect despite protests from landlords, who claim it will cause them economic difficulties and threaten legal action.The rent price, also a problem

"This is a historic victory for New York City renters. It is the relief that our city's working class deserves," said the mayor, exultant, in a statement. "I will continue to work to achieve a more affordable city through the construction and preservation of affordable housing, the reduction of building operating costs, such as insurance, and by ensuring that renters know their rights," he added.

The body that approved this decision is independent of the City Council, but Mamdani has appointed six of its eight members. On the other hand, what did not depend in any way on his appointments were the Democratic Party primaries held this Tuesday, in which it was decided who would aspire in November to represent the city's residents in Congress, which is renewed entirely every two years.

Nevertheless, the mayor's three allies swept the primaries and won, despite being practically unknown, against congressmen who had been representing their districts for a decade. The victory of Brad Lander, an urban planning specialist and particularly forceful in his condemnation of the Israeli genocide in Gaza; Darializa Avila Chevalier, a doctoral student; and Claire Valdez, a young woman who was part of the state assembly, does not guarantee that any of the three will reach Congress, as they will first have to win the seat in the November elections. But it does represent a triumph for Mamdani, who manages to shift the Democratic Party to the left and show that his success was not a flash in the pan: at least in New York, he has come to stay.