New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wasted no time getting to work on his promise to protect renters and prioritize the city's housing crisis. 

Less than two hours after his inauguration ceremony Thursday, Mamdani said he signed three executive orders designed to put some pressure on landlords and fast-track housing development. 

"Today, on the first day of this new administration, on the day where so many rent payments are due, we will not wait to deliver action. We will stand up on behalf of the tenants of this city," Mamdani announced at a rent-stabilized building in Brooklyn. 

Executive order 1

The first order reestablishes the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants, which "will serve as a central coordinating body to defend tenants' rights, stand up to landlords, and ensure city agencies act swiftly on behalf of renters facing unsafe or illegal conditions," the mayor's office said.

"We will not compromise on housing quality," Mamdani said.

The mayor appointed Cea Weaver, a pivotal player in the passage of New York's Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, to direct the Office to Protect Tenants.

"You cannot hold landlords who violate the law to account unless you have a proven, principled and tireless fighter at the helm. That is why I am proud today to announce my friend Cea Weaver as the director of the newly reinvigorated Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants," Mamdani said. 

Executive order 2  

Mamdani's second executive order creates the Land Inventory Fast Track (LIFT) Task Force, which his team says "will review city-owned properties and identify sites suitable for housing development no later than July 1, 2026."

It will be led by Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg.

Executive order 3

A third order signed by the mayor creates the Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development (SPEED) Task Force, which Mamdani said will "identify and remove bureaucratic and permitting barriers that drive up costs and slow housing construction and lease-up, making it more affordable to build and easier to access housing across New York City."

Bozorg and Deputy Mayor of Operations Julia Kerson will have leading roles.