Next up, rent freeze? Mamdani names five new members to rent board

"Mayor Zohran Mamdani named five new members to the city's Rent Guidelines Board, meaning the mayor's appointees make up a majority of the body as he calls for freezing rents for stabilized apartments. Mamdani announced Wednesday that he tapped Chatnella Mitchell, program director at the New York Community Trust, as the new chair, replacing Doug Apple. Maksim Wynn, director of development and supportive housing at Bronx-based Procida Development Group, is joining as an owner representative. Wynn previously worked for the city's Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, where he focused on homelessness."

"The mayor also named to the board Sina Sinai, senior research associate at the Jain Family Institute; Lauren Melodia, director of economic and fiscal policy at the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School; and Brandon Mancilla, a regional director of the United Auto Workers; as public members. Despite efforts by outgoing Mayor Eric Adams to leave the board with a majority of his own appointees, Mamdani entered office with the ability to appoint up to five of the nine board members in his first year, with the ability to replace the remaining four in his second. But another spot was freed up when public member Alex Armlovich, who has been publicly skeptical of freezing rents, announced Tuesday that he was stepping down ahead of schedule."

Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed five new members to the Rent Guidelines Board and called for freezing rents for stabilized apartments. Chatnella Mitchell, program director at the New York Community Trust, was named chair, replacing Doug Apple. Maksim Wynn joins as an owner representative after work at the Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Sina Sinai, Lauren Melodia and Brandon Mancilla were named as public members. Public member Alex Armlovich resigned early to join Coefficient Giving to work on housing supply policy. Armlovich wrote that a winning mayor has some right to appoint people who reflect policy priorities and expressed confidence in Deputy Mayor of Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg’s team.

Read at therealdeal.com