STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani visited Staten Island Dec. 19, and sat down with the Advance/SILive.com for a brief interview about how he plans to approach the borough in his new administration.
Here are some key takeaways from that conversation, or read the full Q&A (or view above):
Addressing housing affordability and homeownership
Mamdani identified affordability as the primary concern for Staten Islanders, distinguishing between the ability to simply “survive” in the city and the chance to “build a life,” in raising a family and buying a home.
He acknowledged that Staten Island, once an accessible option for homeownership, is now becoming “increasingly out of reach,” pushing residents to New Jersey or Long Island.
Mamdani has vowed to make affordability a central focus of his administration, aiming to ensure no New Yorker is priced out of the city.
Vision for fast and free public transit
Mamdani has proposed a transformative vision to make all city buses “fast and free,” and recognized that Staten Islanders face unique transit difficulties…