In a dramatic shift ahead of New York City’s mayoral race, landlord groups have rallied behind Andrew Cuomo, providing record-breaking financial support to end rent restrictions. The New York Apartment Association, a newly formed landlord lobbying group, has pledged $2.5 million to Cuomo’s campaign while simultaneously supporting City Council members with real estate holdings. Cuomo’s strong opposition to freezing rents on over one million stabilized units stands in stark contrast to challenger Zohran Mamdani’s promise to freeze rent increases every year he is in office.
$2.5M Boost from Landlords
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The New York Apartment Association (NYAA) has contributed a staggering $2.5 million to Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign. This donation, made through its “Housing for All” super PAC, represents the highest single outside expenditure in the 2025 race. The monies will be used to support a bilingual campaign of pro-Cuomo advertising on television, radio, and internet media, with the goal of influencing voters before early voting begins on June 14.
Cuomo Draws Support from Real Estate Heavyweights
Cuomo is now the overwhelming favorite in New York’s real estate business. NYAA CEO Kenny Burgos praised his housing strategy while cautioning that Mamdani’s rent freeze proposal would damage already troubled rent-stabilized units. NYAA has also funded council races to increase its policy impact.
Mamdani Condemns Landlord-Backed Spending
Zohran Mamdani, Cuomo’s main challenger, held a press conference outside the NYAA office to condemn the donation. “This is precisely why I’ve pledged to freeze rents,” he informed the audience. Mamdani argues the flood of landlord money demonstrates that his policies are focused on tenant concerns rather than special interests.
Competing Visions for New York Housing
Cuomo proposes creating or conserving 500,000 housing units by upzoning transit-heavy neighborhoods. Mamdani’s plan aims for the construction of 200,000 social housing units employing union workers. NYAA claims that Mamdani’s strategy is impractical and would exacerbate housing shortages, whereas Cuomo’s is more in line with market demands.
Rent Freeze at the Center of the Debate
The crux of this debate is whether New York should freeze rents on its one million regulated apartments. Mamdani promised annual freezes during his term, but Cuomo opposes them. He believes landlords should be permitted to change rents in response to increased maintenance expenses.
Real Estate’s Financial Commitment
The NYAA’s contribution represents merely a portion of the pro-Cuomo funding. The Fix the City PAC, which is affiliated with Cuomo allies, has raised about $12 million, the majority of which comes from real estate donors. DoorDash, entrepreneur Ken Langone, and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin have all lent their support.
Cuomo Distances Himself from Donor Influence
Cuomo’s campaign maintains that contributions have no effect on him. “I work for the people of the city of New York,” Cuomo stated at a recent debate. His campaign maintained that it was ignorant of the NYAA spending and defended his housing strategy as data-driven rather than donor-based.