Mamdani Appoints Tenant Advocate Cea Weaver to Lead Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants Amid Social Media Controversy
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed tenant advocate Cea Weaver to head the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants amid scrutiny over officials’ past social media posts.
Overview
Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Cea Weaver, a longtime tenant and housing advocate, to lead the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.
Weaver, former leader of Housing Justice for All, helped secure significant tenant protections in 2019 and is known for tenant organizing.
Her appointment drew enthusiastic support and cheers from tenants union members gathered in the lobby during the public announcement event.
Mamdani defended the pick despite criticism over old social posts linking property seizure and white supremacy; critics cite recent resignations over antisemitic posts.
The new office will enforce penalties against negligent landlords, including compelling property sales to the city if fines remain unpaid — a core campaign pledge.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this as a scandal-focused accountability story, foregrounding controversy and political risk. They emphasize condemnations (DOJ, Washington Post editorial, Eric Adams), highlight Weaver’s provocative posts and administration awareness, and juxtapose Mamdani’s defense and Weaver’s remorse—shaping a narrative about vetting failures and policy stakes rather than deeper policy debate.
Sources (10)
FAQ
The office coordinates city enforcement against unsafe housing, landlord violations, and tenant harassment, targeting negligent landlords with penalties including compelled property sales to the city if fines are unpaid.
Weaver led Housing Justice for All, played a central role in passing the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act which limited rent increases and closed deregulation loopholes, and organized tenant unions like the Crown Heights Tenant Union.
Critics highlight Weaver's past social media posts calling homeownership a 'weapon of white supremacy' and advocating property seizure, as well as her call to 'elect more communists,' amid recent resignations over antisemitic posts in Mamdani's administration.
Mamdani defended Weaver's record as a proven tenant organizer who will hold landlords accountable and ensure safe homes for tenants.
Appointed on January 1, 2026, by Mayor Mamdani on his first day; the announcement drew enthusiastic support and cheers from tenants union members present.
History
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