‘Move out immediately’: Cuomo urges Mamdani to surrender rent-stabilised apartment; accuses of taking housing from needy despite being ‘very rich’

Former New York governer Andrew Cuomo on Friday renewed his attack on mayoral opponent Zohran Mamdani, criticising him for living in a rent-stabilised apartment despite being “very rich” and noting that the state is in “the middle of a historic affordability crisis.”

Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani but is running as an independent in the general election, urged him to vacate the unit and allow someone in need to take it.


“Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman [Zohran Mamdani], are occupying her rent-controlled apartment,” Cuomo said in a post on X, along with a video of Mamdani saying his monthly rent is $2,300.


He pointed to Mamdani’s affluent upbringing, six-figure income, property ownership abroad, and his wife’s employment as evidence of high household earnings. “You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman. You’ve had weddings on 3 continents. You own property in LGTBQIA+ murderous Uganda.”

“No matter which way you cut it: Zohran Mamdani is a rich person,” Cuomo added. “You are actually very rich. Yet you and your wife pay $2,300 a month, as you have bragged, for a nice apartment in Astoria. That should be housing for someone who needs it.”

The former governor tied his criticism to New York City’s affordability crisis, where the median rent has reached $3,397 — nearly $200 more than in 2024, according to Realtor.com, cited by Fox News.

“Today, I am calling on you to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to an unhoused family who need it,” Cuomo said. “Leaders must show moral clarity. Time to move out.”

Earlier in the week, Cuomo also faulted Mamdani for owning property in Uganda, pointing to the country’s anti-LGBT policies.

“Up until now, Zohran Mamdani and his campaign have successfully evaded any scrutiny: He talks like Bernie but lives like Bezos,” a Cuomo spokesperson told Fox News. “It turns out handing the keys of New York City to a no-show, do-nothing assemblyman hypocrite is a bad idea. Andrew Cuomo is running to protect our streets, for REAL affordability, and to build a new New York City by giving opportunity to those who actually need it.”