New DOT Cmr, First Executive Orders, Protecting Tenants, Advisory Cmte On Judiciary Chair, Office Of Mass Engagement, Completing McGuiness Blvd Redesign, New Housing Cmr, Junk Fees Crackdown: Mayor Mamdani’s First Week

As First Move as Mayor, Mamdani Appoints Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn in Old City Hall Station

NEW YORK, NY — TONIGHT, as his very first move as Mayor, Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of transportation leader Mike Flynn as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation immediately following his swearing in during a midnight ceremony in the old City Hall subway station. The appointment underscores his administration’s commitment to delivering an affordability agenda through safer streets, faster buses, and transportation systems that work for working New Yorkers. 

Flynn brings more than two decades of experience across the public and private sectors, helping cities envision and implement transportation systems that advance economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental sustainability. His appointment reflects the Mamdani administration’s focus on pairing bold policy goals, including fast and free buses and safer streets, with deep operational expertise. 

Most recently, Flynn led the New York office of TYLin City Solutions (formerly Sam Schwartz Engineering) where he supported teams of engineers, planners, designers, and community outreach specialists working across disciplines to solve complex transportation, development, and infrastructure challenges throughout the New York City region. As Vice President and Sector Manager for New York and the Northeast, Flynn oversaw major projects at the intersection of mobility, land use, and public space. 

Previously, Flynn spent nearly a decade at the New York City Department of Transportation, where he held senior leadership roles including Director of Capital Planning and Project Initiation. In that role, he guided the planning and delivery of major capital street improvement projects supporting traffic safety, bus priority, and new public spaces citywide. Earlier at DOT, Flynn worked on pedestrian and bicycle programs and transportation planning initiatives that helped reshape how New Yorkers move through the city, including leading the development of the City’s first Street Design Manual. 

“High-quality, reliable public transit and safe, well-designed streets allow New Yorkers to get to work without worry, travel on multiple modalities, receive the daily necessities they need, and explore new corners of the five boroughs. Our City deserves a Department of Transportation Commissioner that recognizes the critical role that street infrastructure, road design, and excellent public transportation play in making this city an affordable, safe and dignified home for millions. That is the leadership I see in Mike Flynn, who has spent decades improving the way we walk and ride through our city — and will continue this work in City Hall,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. 

“I am honored by the trust Mayor Zohran Mamdani has placed in me to lead the Department of Transportation and work alongside this team to deliver for New Yorkers. Transportation is essential to affordability and quality of life, it determines how people get to work, school, and home safely. I look forward to building a DOT that moves faster, puts safety first, and delivers real wins for working New Yorkers,” said incoming DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn.  

“RPA applauds the Mamdani Administration for appointing Mike Flynn as DOT Commissioner. He is a well-respected expert and leader in city transportation policy and we are excited to help him carry out a vision for better bus service and safer streets,” said Executive Vice President of Regional Plan Association, Kate Slevin.  

“Mike knows the agency, the city and its streets from the inside out,” said former NYCDOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “Mike will be a strong voice for Mayor Mamdani and for all New Yorkers in making transportation work for them, and for turning proposals into projects in the ground that will make the city’s streets safer, more accessible and affordable.” 

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Mike Flynn is the new Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation under the Mamdani Administration. Flynn brings more than two decades of experience advancing transportation, infrastructure, and urban development projects across New York City and the country, spanning senior leadership roles in both city government and the private sector. 

Most recently, Flynn led the New York office of TYLin City Solutions (formerly Sam Schwartz Engineering) where he supported teams of engineers, planners, designers, and community outreach specialists working across disciplines to solve complex transportation, development, and infrastructure challenges throughout the New York City region. As Vice President and Sector Manager for New York and the Northeast, Flynn oversaw major projects at the intersection of mobility, land use, and public space. 

Previously, Flynn spent nearly a decade at the New York City Department of Transportation, where he held senior leadership roles including Director of Capital Planning and Project Initiation. In that position, he helped oversee the planning and delivery of major capital projects across the city, including street reconstruction, transit and resiliency projects, and pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Earlier at DOT, Flynn worked on pedestrian and bicycle programs and transportation planning initiatives that helped reshape how New Yorkers move through the city, including leading the development of the City’s first Street Design Manual. 

In addition to his work in government and the private sector, Flynn served for nearly eight years as a Visiting Professor in Pratt Institute’s Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development, where he taught courses focused on urban planning, transportation, and sustainable city design. 

He holds a Master of Science in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from the University of Vermont. 

Old City Hall Station is proof that government can build great things that improve working people’s lives — Commissioner Flynn will carry that legacy forward 

With more than two decades of public service and transportation leadership across city government and the private sector, Flynn has delivered major street, pedestrian, and transit projects that improve safety, mobility, and access across New York City 

As DOT Commissioner, Flynn will usher in an era of safer streets and faster buses that deliver for working New Yorkers and advance the affordability agenda

Mayor Mamdani Appoints Ali Najmi as Chair of Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary 

Mayor also signs executive order for Committee to engage wider legal community in judicial selection process & create database to increase transparency 

Najmi is a renowned civil rights and election attorney 

NEW YORK, NY — TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of renowned civil rights and election attorney Ali Najmi as the Chair of the newly revitalized Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. The Mayor also signed an executive order to ensure that the Committee makes the judicial selection process more transparent and accessible to New Yorkers. 

“While the judicial branch plays a crucial role in our democracy, it is often inaccessible and shrouded in secrecy. My Administration will promote transparency in how we select New York City’s judges and ensure our city’s judicial system reflects the city it serves, applies the rule of law universally, and does so without favor,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “There is no one better to lead this effort than Ali Najmi, who will bring the same determination and commitment he’s brought to the courtroom for decades to his new role chairing the Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.”

“It is an honor to lead the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. A fair and equitable legal system is determined by our judges. I am committed to making our judicial selection process more transparent and inclusive to ensure that all 8.5 million New Yorkers see themselves reflected on the bench,” said Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary Ali Najmi. 

Under the Mamdani Administration, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary will be charged with increasing transparency around the judicial selection process and promoting engagement. The new executive order requires the Committee to engage the wider legal community in the judicial selection process, including public defenders, attorneys who represent parents and children in family court, and those working in indigent legal services. The executive order instructs the Committee to regularly publish demographic data on the judicial applicant pool, as well as create a searchable database for New Yorkers to monitor upcoming appointments. The executive order also extends the term of members of the Committee from two years to four years.  

The judicial committee appoints judges for family and civil courts and interim appointees for criminal courts.

“We applaud the Mamdani administration for recognizing that public defenders bring an essential, frontline perspective to issues affecting the legal system, and that this perspective must inform who sits on the bench,” said Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. “In the Bronx, we see every day how a single arrest or court appearance can upend a person’s life, their family, and their future, which is why judicial appointments must be grounded in a clear understanding of the real human stakes of every decision. A judiciary shaped with this knowledge is critical to ensuring fairness, dignity, and justice for the thousands of people entangled in our courts each year who are the least prepared or resourced to defend their freedom.” 

“I congratulate Ali Najmi on his appointment as Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. As a seasoned defense and civil rights attorney, Ali brings a critical perspective to the judicial selection process — one grounded in due process, fairness, and access to justice,” said Twyla Carter, Attorney-in-Charge and Chief Executive Officer of The Legal Aid Society. “His experience as a member of the defense bar representing justice-involved New Yorkers will help ensure that the bench reflects a deep understanding of the rights of all New Yorkers, particularly those who rely on robust criminal defense. His leadership will serve the committee, our court system, and New York City writ large.” 

MAYOR MAMDANI ANNOUNCES CITY TO COMPLETE REDESIGN ON MCGUINNESS BOULEVARD 

Mamdani Administration will deliver DOT’s original plan for protected bike lanes along the full length of McGuinness Boulevard from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced today that NYC DOT will complete the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard.  

McGuinness Boulevard, which operates as a critical cycling connection between Brooklyn and Queens that serves more than 4,000 daily riders during the summer months, is dangerous for bikers, pedestrians, and drivers alike.  

Under Mayor Mamdani, NYC DOT will implement its original plan to install parking-protected bike lanes along the entirety of McGuinness Boulevard to ensure traffic calming measures throughout the entire corridor, extending the existing parking-protected lanes running between Meeker and Calyer Street northbound up to the Pulaski Bridge. Upon completion, McGuinness Boulevard will feature one travel lane in each direction, one parking-protected bike lane in each direction, and one vehicular parking and loading lane in each direction.  

“For too long, critical street safety projects have been delayed or shelved because of political considerations and backroom deal-making rather than the needs of New Yorkers. Those days are over,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “New Yorkers deserve to be safe no matter how they commute — whether they bike, walk, or drive. That’s why, as one of my first acts as Mayor, my administration is committing to restarting implementation of parking-protected bike lanes on McGuinness Boulevard and complete its redesign. New Yorkers deserve an administration that gets right to work to deliver genuine street safety.” 

“New Yorkers deserve to feel safe when they’re traveling with their families and loved ones on city streets — and McGuinness Boulevard should be designed to stitch Greenpoint together, not divide it in half,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “We are moving swiftly to finish the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard because we know too many lives have already been lost on this street — and that this project was altered against the best interests of New Yorkers. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to doubling down to aggressively deliver on our bus and street safety agenda and restore faith in our community engagement process.” 

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of today’s announcement. My frustration with inaction on McGuinness Boulevard inspired my run for office. Decades of death and catastrophic injury occurred before Matthew Jensen was tragically killed in 2021,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher. “Today’s announcement is a victory for the local advocates and community members who fought for decades to make McGuinness safe. It reflects a sense of urgency and a promise kept by Mayor Mamdani, and it is a reminder of what is possible when government works for the people it serves. Most importantly, it affirms that when communities are motivated to organize, we prevail over corrupt corporate interests. I will always stand with my community and fight for the safe streets we deserve, and I am so proud and honored that we get to ring in this new year with this victory.”  

“McGuinness has dangerously divided Greenpoint for generations, but thanks to the tremendous organizing of our community and the leadership of Mayor Mamdani, McGuinness will finally be safe for all of us,” said Councilmember Lincoln Restler. “I am grateful that the Mayor has made McGuinness a week one priority and that this is just the beginning of transformational street safety improvements across every neighborhood in New York City.”   

“The Greenpoint community has been asking for real safety improvements on McGuinness Boulevard for a long time. I’m glad to see Mayor Mamdani make this critical project a priority and to see DOT commit to finishing the full redesign, including protected bike lanes along the entire corridor,” said Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is the result of persistent community advocacy and a clear understanding that half-measures don’t work when it comes to street safety. I look forward to continuing to work with DOT to make sure these changes are implemented well and make McGuinness safer for everyone.” 

“I’m proud to see Mayor Mamdani making McGuinness Boulevard one of his first priorities. By approving the full redesign, he is putting the lives and safety of New Yorkers first by installing the full parking-protected bike lane on McGuinness Boulevard from the Pulaski Bridge to Meeker Ave,” said State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. “Our community has tirelessly advocated for these evidence-based changes for years because we know they save lives. Today, as we honor the lives of Matthew Jensen and so many others, I am committed to working with NYCDOT and Mayor Mamdani to make our streets safer for everyone.”

“This is what it looks like to have a Mayor who puts the public good ahead of political gain,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I am grateful to Mayor Mamdani and DOT Commissioner Flynn for advancing these life-saving measures, and I am immeasurably proud of the coalition of Brooklyn residents, families, advocates, and elected officials who have fought tooth and nail for years to achieve a McGuinness Boulevard design that puts our safety first. A new era indeed.” 

“As a mother who lost my son, I’m deeply grateful to see Mayor Mamdani announce his intention to complete the full redesign of McGuinness Boulevard. We were shocked and appalled when the original plan was watered down in 2023 over pay-to-play politics,” said Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, Co-Chair of Families for Safe Street New York. “So many people — like beloved PS 110 teacher Matthew Jensen — have lost their lives on this dangerous speedway. For years, Families for Safe Streets has stood with the Greenpoint community demanding more, and we’re so glad McGuinness is finally going to get the full safety redesign it so sorely needs. McGuinness today, stalled projects across the five boroughs tomorrow.” 

“With this announcement, New York families breathe a sigh of relief as we turn the page from an administration that watered down and stalled street safety projects and look to a new era of ever more ambitious street safety improvements,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “Thank you to Mayor Mamdani, all of our partners in government and advocacy, and every parent and student in Greenpoint who fought to make McGuinness safe. Today we celebrate, and tomorrow we continue the fight to finish every stalled project and transform every dangerous corridor into the safe streets that New Yorkers deserve.” 

“McGuinness Boulevard has divided Greenpoint, hurt our community, and killed our neighbors for 70 years,” said Bronwyn Breitner, Coordinator for Make McGuinness Safe. “Parents and students have been organizing to make McGuinness safe for five years since the death of Matthew Jensen. With today’s announcement, New York City will finally deliver the McGuinness Boulevard our children deserve, and we will keep fighting to ensure the upcoming capital plan meets the moment and need here in Greenpoint.”

“We’re thrilled that Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn are wasting no time in beginning to implement critical street-safety projects that were hampered or shelved by the previous administration, and we can think of no better place to start that process than on McGuinness Boulevard,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. “The extension of the redesign to its originally intended footprint will make everyone who uses McGuinness Boulevard safer, and today’s announcement underscores what’s possible when City Hall supports DOT’s work instead of meddling to water it down. We’re grateful to the Mayor and Commissioner for so quickly kickstarting this new era of progress. Bravo!” 

“It’s welcome news that the original McGuinness Boulevard redesign is being revived. Prioritizing this issue during his first days in office is a clear signal that Mayor Mamdani is prepared to act quickly and decisively to make New York City’s streets safer and to prioritize people over cars,” said Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of OpenPlans. “We look forward to working with the new administration to bring people-centered streets to every neighborhood and build a more livable city for all New Yorkers.”  

The redesign will bring a host of safety benefits for all New Yorkers, including pedestrians and drivers, by shortening crossing distances, calming turning vehicles, and reducing reckless driving behavior. Similar designs across the city have been shown to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries by 30 percent.  

Mayor Mamdani Appoints Dina Levy as Housing Commissioner, Announces Formation of “Rental Ripoff” Hearings  

Dina Levy brings decades of housing finance and organizing experience inside and outside of government to HPD 

“Rental Ripoff” hearings in all five boroughs will offer New Yorkers a microphone to share poor conditions, unconscionable business practices that City will act upon

NEW YORK, NY — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani today announced the appointment of longtime housing leader Dina Levy as Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD). Levy brings decades of experience developing and organizing for safe, affordable housing to the agency, fighting tirelessly for dignified housing for all New Yorkers. At HPD, Levy will execute on the Mamdani administration’s ambitious housing agenda, including preserving rent-stabilized housing, financing and constructing new affordable housing, connecting New Yorkers to housing, and ensuring the habitability of all homes in New York.  

“I am proud to welcome Dina Levy as our next Housing Commissioner. Levy is an experienced and fearless housing leader, and I know that she will fight to protect tenants and tackle our housing crisis head-on,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Too many New Yorkers have been forced to pay more for less — living in unsafe, unconscionable, and unaffordable housing. Under my administration, that ends. Today’s executive order is the first step towards giving New Yorkers a voice in addressing the housing crisis that is pricing them out of our city.” 

ABOUT DINA LEVY 

Levy has fought for safe, affordable housing for years, working as both an advocate and within government. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Homeownership and Community Development at Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), New York State’s affordable housing agency. Prior to that, she worked as senior advisor to the New York Attorney General and as Director of Organizing at the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB). She will bring this extensive experience organizing tenants, managing housing finance, and much more to HPD. The appointment was announced at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, widely considered to be the “Birthplace of Hip Hop” – and where Levy led a successful organizing campaign in 2010 to replace a predatory equity investor with a more responsible landlord, with City assistance.  

“I am honored to join the Mamdani administration, and especially honored to join the team working to make New York City an affordable place to live. My experience as a community organizer has shaped my work in public service and will continue to be my inspiration in the work ahead at HPD,” said incoming HPD Commissioner Dina Levy. “It is my honor to join forces with tenants, homeowners, and dedicated public servants at HPD as we work to usher in a new era of quality and affordability for all.” 

“Dina Levy has long fought for safe and affordable housing both inside and outside of government, and I am thrilled to welcome her to the helm at HPD. Her experience spans the breadth of HPD’s mission, from affordable housing finance to organizing tenants and everything in between,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg. “Dina will help deliver a more affordable city and ensure tenants and homeowners across the city are represented in our government.” 

RENTAL RIPOFF HEARINGS 

As part of the administration’s tenant protection efforts, Mayor Mamdani also signed an executive order directing HPD, the Department of Buildings, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, in coordination with the new Office of Mass Engagement, to hold “Rental Ripoff” hearings across the five boroughs within the first 100 days of the administration. At these hearings, working New Yorkers will be able to speak about the challenges they face – from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments. Following these hearings, the Mamdani administration will publish a summary and report detailing common themes and areas of opportunity, and the testimony shared at these hearings will directly inform policy interventions to take on these ripoff tactics. Details about the hearings will be available at nyc.gov/RentalRipoff.  

In the first week of his Administration, Mayor Mamdani is already making it clear that tenants in New York City have a champion in City Hall. On day one, he passed an executive order rebuilding the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and appointed Cea Weaver — who was instrumental in the passage of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — to lead it.  

“There is no economic justice without safe, quality, affordable housing New Yorkers can live in. This is not just about building new housing, it’s also about enforcing the laws in existing housing,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “Through the Rental Ripoff hearings, City Hall will not only be listening, we will take action to ensure that the law is followed without exception and that New Yorkers know their rights when it comes to the often hidden or deceptive fees associated with the hunt for housing.” 

“Amid an affordability crisis crushing millions of working New Yorkers, tenants are being burdened by excessive and hidden fees — from amenity fees to processing fees. This administration will make sure every New Yorker knows their rights and knows they have a champion in city government who will not back down from the fight to make this city more affordable, fair, and just,” said Sam Levine, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. 

“For too long, tenants have been ripped off without recourse or protection. Our Rental Ripoff hearings will give working people across the five boroughs a microphone to highlight the challenges they face and make New York City government a truly participatory endeavor,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. “By hearing from New Yorkers about the challenges they have faced, we can bring a comprehensive approach to address the shoddy conditions, hidden fees, and other ripoffs that have persisted until now.” 

MAYOR MAMDANI SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO CRACK DOWN ON JUNK FEES, SUBSCRIPTION TRICKS AND TRAPS AND SAVE NEW YORKERS MONEY 

Amid an affordability crisis, junk fees and subscription tricks and traps are making goods and services less affordable for New Yorkers 

DCWP will soon begin outreach to businesses to ensure compliance with city law and signal immediate consequences  

Alongside, Attorney General Tish James, Council Member Julie Menin, and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine, Mayor Mamdani signed two executive orders to protect New Yorkers against misleading fees and deceptive subscription traps

NEW YORK, NY — TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Member Julie Menin, and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine, signed two executive orders: to combat businesses’ deceptive use of junk fees and crackdown on subscription tricks and traps that that drain money from New Yorkers and make essential goods and services less affordable. 

Following the signing, DCWP will begin outreach to businesses to ensure compliance with city law and signal immediate consequences.  

“New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what they are paying, how much it will cost, and whether they are signing up for an ongoing charge — before a single dollar leaves their account. Instead, too many people are hit with hidden fees and blindsided by subscription traps they never knowingly agreed to and cannot easily escape,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “In the midst of an affordability crisis that is already pushing working New Yorkers out of their city, these deceptive practices put even more strain on household budgets. This executive order restores what should have always been the case: transparency in pricing, accountability for companies, and full compliance with the law.” 

“New Yorkers are paying too much for everyday services because of hidden, unexpected junk fees and illegal subscriptions traps. These fees and traps, which have made daily life harder and drained household budgets, have gone unchecked for far too long. It is time to hold companies accountable for deceptive practices and give New Yorkers back the power and transparency they deserve — so they can make purchases without being blindsided by costs they cannot avoid,” said Sam Levine, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.  

“As former Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, I saw firsthand how deceptive junk fees and abusive subscription practices erode household finances and undermine trust in our marketplace. The Mayor’s executive orders establish a strong and coordinated framework to confront these practices by strengthening enforcement, increasing price transparency, and aligning action across city and state partners. We must protect New Yorkers from unexpected and unavoidable charges, support honest businesses that disclose prices upfront, and reinforce a basic principle that every transaction in this city should be clear and fair. I commend Mayor Mamdani for taking decisive action, and I look forward to working with him to advance consumer protection and affordability for all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Julie Menin. 

“From hidden junk fees to predatory subscription traps, companies are using a wide range of deceptive tactics to raise costs for New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “For years my office has been fighting back, holding companies accountable for taking advantage of consumers and returning millions of dollars to those who were cheated. I applaud Mayor Mamdani for protecting New Yorkers with these new executive orders and look forward to working with his administration to lower costs.” 

EXECUTIVE  ORDER NO. 9 — COMBATTING HIDDEN JUNK FEES:  

Amid a growing affordability crisis, many companies continue to mislead New Yorkers into paying junk fees — fees that do not meaningfully contribute to the service and are often hidden until after a purchase decision has been made. Junk fees have infiltrated nearly every part of our economy from gym memberships and concert tickets to airline bookings and healthcare services.  

By signing this executive order to take on junk fees, this administration is signaling it will  aggressively crack down on companies who mislead New Yorkers into paying more for services, saving New Yorkers money amidst our cost-of-living crisis. The first executive order signed by Mayor Mamdani to combat junk fees will:  

• Establish a Citywide Junk Fee Task Force: The task force will be chaired by Deputy Mayor of Economic Justice Julie Su and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine and will work to advance the city’s work in combatting junk fees and making New York City more affordable. 

• Combat Hidden Junk Fees: Direct the DCWP to consider and take any actions it deems appropriate to crack down on deceptive or hidden fees that unfairly burden New Yorkers. 

• Enforce Compliance with City Law: Directs the DCWP to monitor compliance, investigate potential violations, and take enforcement actions as authorized under applicable laws and rules, including any new rules designed to address hidden junk fees.  

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10 — FIGHTING SUBSCRIPTION TRICKS AND TRAPS 

Too many New Yorkers are being tricked into subscriptions that quietly drain their money — today, Mayor Mamdani also signed an executive order to fight subscription tricks and traps. This executive order:  

• Empowers the city to use the full tools and authorities of the office to crack down on illegal subscription practices 

• Directs the DCWP to monitor, investigate, and enforce violations related to subscription tricks and traps 

• Urges DCWP to make recommendations to the City Council to fight subscription tricks and traps 

• Calls for coordination with agencies, including the Law Department, and other offices, like the New York State Attorney General to ensure maximum impact in combating subscription traps   

Businesses use a range of deceptive practices to trap customers in unwanted subscriptions, including so-called “free trials” that automatically convert into paid plans with critical disclosures buried in fine print or behind hyper links; adding monthly fees or add-on charges after payment information has already been collected; disguising subscriptions as one-time purchases; bundling subscriptions with other services so consumers do not realize they are paying for an additional product; and making cancellation intentionally difficult — forcing consumers to call during limited hours, remember or reset login credentials, or navigate multiple screens before they can cancel.  

Junk fees not only hurt consumers, but they also disadvantage honest businesses that are upfront with pricing. The Mamdani administration will hold companies accountable, leveling the playing field while protecting New Yorkers from deceptive practices. 

Mayor Mamdani takes the protection of New York consumers and tenants seriously. Just yesterday, Mayor Mamdani signed an executive order to hold “Rental Ripoff” hearings in every borough. These hearings provide an opportunity for working New Yorkers to speak about the challenges they face – from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments. Following these hearings, the Mamdani administration will publish a summary and report detailing common themes and areas of opportunity, and the testimony shared at these hearings will directly inform policy interventions to take on these ripoff tactics. Details about the hearings will be available at nyc.gov/RentalRipoff.   

Banner Image: Mayor Zohran Mamdani joins Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Governor Kathy Hochul for a public safety-related press conference. 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan. Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Image Credit – Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.