Zohran Mamdani’s housing plan has been critiqued up, down and across the aisle since it was announced in February. These attacks seemingly come from people who have not read his plan, or do not understand its nuances enough to properly critique it. Therefore, a more comprehensive assessment is required that addresses the intricacies of how subsidized housing gets built in New York City.
Rent controls have been singled out in his plan as an area that may not work as intended. A recent opinion piece published by The Hill, titled “Empire State of delusion — rent controls and the illusion of affordability,” espoused as much theorizing that rent control will worsen the shortage of housing in the city.
Rent control may not be a perfect solution, but housing policy is nuanced and defies simple interpretations. For example, a common suggestion is converting the city’s unused office space into affordable housing, ignoring the reality that such conversions are difficult and costly…