New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, wasted no time in making bold moves as he assumed office on January 1, 2026. But as the city embarks on an ambitious leftward shift in housing policy, the appointment of Cea Weaver as director of the Office to Protect Tenants has ignited a firestorm—one fueled by resurfaced social media posts, ideological clashes, and deep questions about the future of property in America’s largest city.
Weaver, a prominent tenant organizer and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is no stranger to controversy. Over the past week, online researchers and conservative commentators unearthed a string of now-deleted posts from her X (formerly Twitter) account that have become the subject of fierce debate. On June 13, 2018, Weaver wrote bluntly: "Seize private property!" In August 2019, she expanded her critique, declaring, "Private property including any kind of ESPECIALLY homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy." These posts, widely circulated and amplified by accounts like "Libs of TikTok," have drawn both outrage and support, underscoring the city’s polarized political climate.
Weaver’s radical rhetoric did not stop at property. In December 2017, she urged followers to "Elect more communists," referencing the renaming of a Harlem street corner in honor of former Manhattan Rep. Vito Marcantonio, a known communist. And amid the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death in May 2020, Weaver offered a scathing indictment of law enforcement: "The Police Are Just People The State Sanctions To Murder W[ith] Immunity."
According to the New York Post and Newsweek, Weaver’s social media presence and background as a campaign coordinator for Housing Justice For All—along with her advisory role in Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign—make her a lightning rod for critics who argue that the city’s new direction is both unworkable and extreme. Humberto Lopes, founder and CEO of the Gotham Housing Alliance, voiced the skepticism of many property owners: "Without landlords how do you build and maintain housing? You think the government is going to do it? Look at NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority complexes]. You put a system in place to destroy landlords. Why are you s–tting on us?"
The mayor’s own words have only sharpened the debate. In his inaugural speech, Mamdani announced, "We will move toward the warmth of collectivism rather than rugged individualism." He warned landlords, "If your landlord does not responsibly steward your home, the city government will step in." For many, this signaled a dramatic shift in the city’s philosophy regarding ownership and the role of government in housing.
Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, a vocal critic of the administration, took to X to warn: "What he means is that pretty much every tenant complaint will move rapidly into property seizure. Look for DSA activists to begin agitating tenants to file frivolous complaints just to instigate seizures." She went further, urging small landlords to consider leaving the rental market entirely, predicting, "renters — get ready for rents to SKYROCKET to mitigate these risks to the landlords who choose to remain in the market." Paladino also blasted the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA), which gives nonprofits the first chance to buy certain multifamily homes, labeling it "government overreach" and "absolutely maniacal."
Yet, for Mamdani and his supporters, these policies are about justice and equity. As reported by Newsweek, Mamdani stated in his inauguration speech: "We will answer to all New Yorkers, not to any billionaire or oligarch who thinks they can buy our democracy. We will govern without shame and insecurity, making no apology for what we believe. I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist. I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical. We will strive each day to ensure that no New Yorker is priced out of any one of those basic necessities."
Weaver’s own advocacy history is extensive. She played a central role in lobbying the Democratic-controlled state Legislature to overhaul New York’s rent stabilization laws in 2019, pushing them in a more tenant-friendly direction. As Mamdani put it, "she helped pass the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, landmark legislation that closed loopholes landlords used to raise rents and push apartments out of stabilization." Now, as director of the Office to Protect Tenants, Weaver is tasked with holding landlords accountable and ensuring safe, clean homes for all New Yorkers.
Policy-wise, Mamdani has proposed freezing rents on roughly 1 million rent-regulated apartments—a move that would require approval from the Rent Guidelines Board. Both he and Weaver have emphasized that, while the mayor’s powers are limited, a rent freeze is one of the few direct interventions available. On Bluesky last year, Weaver wrote, "There are lots of things the mayor CANT do on housing, but freezing the rent is one of the only things they can unilaterally do for 2.4 million New York renters. Policy plans are great, so is a rent freeze."
To further confront what he describes as unsafe and unaffordable housing conditions, Mamdani signed an executive order launching "Rental Ripoff" hearings across all five boroughs within his first 100 days. The hearings will involve the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the Department of Buildings, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, all coordinated by the new Office of Mass Engagement. "Too many New Yorkers have been forced to pay more for less — living in unsafe, unconscionable, and unaffordable housing," Mamdani said at a Bronx press conference. "Under my administration, that ends. Today’s executive order is the first step towards giving New Yorkers a voice in addressing the housing crisis that is pricing them out of our city."
On January 4, Mamdani appointed Dina Levy, a longtime state housing official and former senior vice president at New York’s Division of Homes and Community Renewal, as commissioner of HPD. Levy, who began her career as a tenant advocate, acknowledged the scale of the task ahead: "I do know the work ahead will be hard." Her agency’s mission includes enforcing the housing maintenance code, inspecting homes for safety, bringing cases against landlords in housing court, and requiring emergency repairs when necessary. Mamdani praised her as "an experienced and fearless housing leader," expressing confidence that she would "fight to protect tenants and tackle our housing crisis head-on."
Despite the backlash and mounting scrutiny, neither Mamdani nor Weaver have proposed the outright abolition of private property or the immediate seizure of homes. Instead, their approach focuses on greater accountability for landlords, expanded tenant protections, and a shift toward what they describe as a more equitable housing system. As Newsweek notes, Mamdani’s brand of socialism aims for "a more equal distribution of wealth—which would eventually lower costs for working class families in the city."
Still, the city’s new leadership faces a daunting challenge: balancing the urgent needs of renters with the realities of property ownership, all while navigating a deeply divided political landscape. As hearings begin and policies take shape, New Yorkers on all sides are bracing for a new era in the city’s housing wars—one that promises both hope and uncertainty in equal measure.
