Zohran Mamdani, the official Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, ran his campaign largely on affordability, placing the New York City housing crisis at the center of his platform . A 2024 Marist Poll survey found that 73% of New York residents believe that housing affordability is a major problem in their communities. Hardly surprising, when you consider New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world. “It's also the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the