What happened last week?
Breaking ground on affordable homes in the Bronx — Mayor Mamdani and The Doe Fund broke ground on the Casanova Residence in Hunts Point, which will provide 96 supportive and affordable homes for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The site will have support services for people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and disabling medical conditions — part of the administration's pledge to invest $1 billion in supportive housing.
Billionaire backs down in wealth tax feud — Citadel has committed to leasing even more NYC office space than originally planned in its $6B Manhattan construction project — months after CEO Ken Griffin criticized Mayor Mamdani and hinted at scrapping the plan. Griffin's outburst came after Mamdani recorded a video highlighting his new pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes, filmed outside Griffin's own $238M penthouse.
2,000 kids approved for new free childcare program — Mayor Mamdani’s flagship program will begin this fall, providing full-day care to two-year-olds for an entire calendar year, not just a school year. The city says it will reach 12,000 kids by 2027, and reach all 2-year-olds citywide by 2030. The announcement comes amid reports that the Trump administration is imminently planning to gut an early education program for children in poverty.
Cracks down begins on illegal e-bike retailers — The Mamdani administration sent cease-and-desist orders to 42 retailers — including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Temu and Wayfair — for selling illegal high-speed e-bikes and scooters. At least 45 New Yorkers have died since 2017 following incidents with such vehicles, including a 17-year-old in July. Amazon has since said it will work with the city on the issue.
Praise for Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed — Following the progressive candidate winning his Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, Mamdani said El-Sayed is “someone who has shone a light on the importance of public health and healthcare in our country for years”, and praised him for pledging to “[get] money out of politics, money in your pocket, [and] Medicare for all.”
Other news: July crime statistics show that NYC is on track for its safest year on record • The city launched a $3M Emergency Microgrant Fund to help home-based childcare providers cover sudden emergencies • Mamdani issued a statement on Haiti TPS protections ending, pledging support for affected workers
Smear of the Week
The smear: "Thousands of 9/11 families" are demanding Mayor Mamdani be banned from this year's 25th-anniversary ceremony (New York Post, with similar claims amplified by CBS New York and others)
The reality: The claim traces to a Change.org petition by Giovanni Galante, whose wife died on 9/11. Pressed by journalist Judd Legum for a list, Galante admitted none exists. The New York Post then quietly edited its article rather than correcting the record, even as it kept publishing follow-up stories built on unverified figures.
New Lawsuit
The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Koorosh Shamtoub, CEO of Canarsie Family Dentistry, alleging his practice “[takes] advantage of southeast Brooklyn’s predominately Black community, targeting the elderly, those with emergency dental needs, and New Yorkers with low incomes or on public assistance.”
The city says Shamtoub’s office frequently pressures patients into unnecessary procedures and pushes them into high-interest medical credit cards or loans, sometimes without their consent.
Watch Mamdani Bulletin’s video on the case.
About Mamdani Bulletin
Mamdani Bulletin tracks the administration’s progress.
Subscribe on Substack for a free weekly digest
Join @MamdaniBulletin on Instagram
Visit our policy tracker
I just can’t believe this guy is real. Every update I have touch myself