3 Judicial Appointments, Compliance For City Shelter System & Prisons, New Policy Strategy Advisor, Astoria Street Redesign, Human Rights Commission Leader, Communications Hires, Universal Pre-K 3-K Promise, Free Tickets To Under The Radar Event, Media Availability After Fatal Police Shooting: Mayor Mamdani

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

5 months ago

Editor’s note: Readers can learn about the new Mayor’s activities of last week from our rundown last Friday. His statement was also included in last week’s politican statement recap on the operation in Venezuela in which their president was removed from the country and brought to the United States (New York in fact). We spoke with Paula, from the same organization that the Human Rights Commission leader previously worked for, about the potential impacts of cuts to and increased work requirements for Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs relied on by those among us most in need of assistance. Check back tomorrow for a discussion about the devastating impacts of withdrawal of funding for childcare in New York and four other Democrat-led states by the president, which has been fought in court and temporarily paused.

MAYOR MAMDANI ANNOUNCES 3 JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS

The Mayor appointments and reappointments reflect commitment to accountability, fairness, and safety for New Yorkers

Mayor Mamdani also announced 9 judicial reappointments

NEW YORK, NY — TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced 3 new judicial appointments which will be subject to a public hearing for official appointment in January: Cary Fischer, Natalie Barros, and Andrés Casas.

“New Yorkers deserve a justice system that delivers accountability, safety, and fairness across the five boroughs. I am proud to announce these judicial appointments, whose depth of experience and commitment to impartiality will strengthen our courts and restore public trust,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Judge Cary Fischer began his legal career with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney assigned to the Criminal Court, Grand Jury and Narcotics Bureaus. After six years, he joined the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, initially as an Assistant District Attorney in the Crimes Against Children Trial Bureau. Thereafter, he was promoted to Senior Trial Attorney, then Deputy Bureau Chief of the Red Zone Trial Bureau. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Fischer served as the Bureau Chief of the Early Case Assessment Bureau and New York Law School, Adjunct Professor of the Criminal Prosecution Clinic.

Judge Natalie Barros started her legal career with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in the Criminal Court and Trial Bureaus, where she served for a decade before joining the New York State Unified Court System. There, Judge Barros served as a Court Attorney in Criminal Court, Richmond County. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she served as a Supervising Court Attorney.

Judge Andres Casas started his legal career working with The Safe Passage Project as a Pro Bono Attorney. He then left to serve as an Assistant District Attorney with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office where he remained for 4 years before joining the New York State Unified Court System. There he served as a Principal Court Attorney in Supreme Court, Criminal Term, Kings County before briefly leaving to work as a Litigation Attorney for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Prior to his appointment, Judge Casas resumed his service with the New York State Unified Court System as a Principal Court Attorney in Supreme Court, Richmond County.

In addition to these new appointments, Mayor Zohran Mamdani also announced 9 judicial reappointments:

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reappointed the following judges to Criminal Court:

Judge Steven Hornstein was first appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2013, then reappointed January 2016. He began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Homicide, Transit, Violent Crime and Criminal Court Bureaus for the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a Supervisor in the Grand Jury Bureau and Burglary-Auto-Gun Unit. Judge Hornstein then left to establish his private practice as a solo criminal defense practitioner. Then he created a partnership firm specializing in criminal defense which he maintained for 18 years. Prior to his initial appointment, Judge Hornstein had returned to solo criminal defense practice.

Judge Althea Drysdale was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in February 2015, then as a Criminal Court Judge in January 2016. Judge Drysdale started her career at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division where she served as a Staff Attorney for a decade before joining the New York County Defender Services. There she served as a Senior Trial Attorney for eight years, prior to her initial appointment to the bench.

Judge Joshua Glick was first appointed as a Criminal Court Judge in August 2021. He began his legal career with The Legal Aid Society, Queens County Criminal Defense Practice before joining Queens Defenders where he served for 14 years while also operating his own practice. Judge Glick was then briefly employed as a Principal Law Clerk to a New York State Supreme Court Justice and as an Associate with a private firm. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he returned to the Queens Defenders as a Supervising Attorney while also maintaining his own practice.

Judge Jerry Iannece was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in May 2017, before being appointed to Criminal Court in January 2018. He began his legal career as a prosecutor with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office and subsequently went into private practice, maintaining a general practice partnership, including criminal defense work, for 29 years before his initial appointment to the bench.

Judge Nancy Carrington was first appointed as a Criminal Court Judge in September 2024. Judge Carrington started her legal career as an associate at several law firms before joining the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in the Domestic Violence, Trials, and Criminal Court Bureaus. She then served as Deputy Bureau Chief of the Criminal Court Bureau before leaving to join the New York State Unified Court System. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Carrington served as a principal court attorney in Supreme Court, Kings County, Criminal Term.

Judge Michael Hartofilis was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in February 2018. He began his legal career with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office where he served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Criminal Court, Grand Jury, Homicide Investigations, Narcotics and Supreme Court Trial Bureaus. Judge Hartofilis then established his own criminal defense practice, which he maintained for 22 years, prior to his appointment to the bench.

Judge David Goodwin was first appointed as a Criminal Court judge in January 2025. He began his legal career as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Judge Goodwin then joined the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey as a Law Clerk, after which he was appointed a Warren H. Sinsheimer fellow working with the Partnership for Children’s Rights. He served again as a Law Clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit before moving on to join the Appellate Advocates as a Senior Staff Attorney. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Goodwin served as a Supervising Staff Attorney in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Office of Legal Affairs.

Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani reappointed the following judges to Family Court:

Judge Gayle Roberts was first appointed as a Family Court Judge in April 1997, she was then reappointed in December 2005 and February 2016. After starting her career as a Staff Attorney with Mid-Hudson Legal Services, Judge Roberts joined the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office where she was first an Assistant District Attorney, then a Supervisor of the Criminal Court Bureau. Prior to her initial appointment to the bench, she was serving as a Deputy Bureau Chief of the Trial Division.

Judge Lauren Norton-Lerner was first appointed to the Interim Civil Court in June 2025 and has been serving in Family Court. She started her legal career as an Investigative Attorney with the United States Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration before leaving to join the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), Division of Legal Services as an Attorney Level III/ Team Leader. She then joined a series of private firms before leaving to serve with the New York State Unified Court System as a Court Attorney in Family Court, Queens County. Judge Norton-Lerner served as Court Attorney Referee in Family Court, Bronx and Queens counties for 13 years prior to her appointment to the bench.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels celebrated the opening day of 3-K and Pre-K applications with a visit to a 3-K and Pre-K child care center in Cypress Hills on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

Mayor Mamdani Signs Two Emergency Executive Orders

Directs city agencies to develop plans to come into compliance with Board of Corrections’ Minimum Standards & city shelter laws

Mayor also instructs city agencies to work with federal monitor & Nunez parties to develop plan to implement Local Law 42 banning solitary confinement

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed two new executive orders directing his agencies to bring the City into compliance with the Board of Corrections’ Minimum Standards and city shelter laws that were suspended during the influx of asylum seekers. The Mayor has also instructed the Law Department to work with the federal monitor and all parties in Nunez v. City of New York to develop a plan to implement City Council’s Local Law 42.

“I was elected because of my values, and my promise to always be honest with New Yorkers — and now is a moment for blunt truths. The previous Administration’s refusal to meet their legal obligations on Rikers has left us with troubling conditions that will take time to resolve,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “In order to fix this, I am signing a new emergency executive order instructing the relevant agencies to develop a compliance plan within 45 days. I am also directing the Law Department to work with the federal monitor and the parties in court so that we can end solitary confinement. I applaud the Public Advocate and the City Council for the passage of Local Law 42 and for always standing up for people on Rikers, despite tremendous opposition from City Hall at the time. We will work closely with the federal monitor and the parties to put the City back on track to end solitary confinement as soon as possible.”

Corporation Counsel nominee Steve Banks said: “In order to stop conditions on Rikers from deteriorating any further, the Mayor is signing a new emergency executive order that instructs the Department of Correction and the Law Department to develop a plan within 45 days to come into compliance with the Board of Corrections’ Standards. The Mayor has also directed the Law Department to work with the federal court monitor and the parties in the Nunez case to develop a plan to implement the provisions of the City Council’s Local Law 42 that the City had previously asked the federal court to block.”

In its first week, the Mamdani Administration is taking action to ensure the City better serves New Yorkers. Emergency Executive Order 1 instructs the Department of Corrections and the Law Department to develop a plan within 45 days to come into compliance with the Board of Corrections’ Minimum Standards. Additionally, the Mayor has directed the Law Department to work with the federal monitor and all Nunez parties to develop a plan to implement Local Law 42, which bans solitary confinement.

Emergency Executive Order 2 instructs the Law Department and Department of Social Services to develop a plan within 45 days to come into compliance with city shelter law requiring cooking facilities in shelters for families with children and capacity limits on adult shelters. Effective immediately, the executive order will end the suspension of a broad range of health and safety codes, building codes, and land use rules, which the City used to open new shelters.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani signs Executive Order 11 to create an inventory and identify ways to cut the fees and fines that small businesses pay in New York City. Sweets and Things, Brooklyn. Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Simonia Brown as Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy

Brown, a budget and policy veteran in NYC and Albany, will work with the State to advance the Mayor’s affordability agenda

NEW YORK, NY — TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed New York City and State policy and budget veteran Simonia Brown as Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy. In this role, Brown will work alongside partners in Albany to help deliver on the Mayor’s affordability agenda. Brown will report to the First Deputy Mayor.

Simonia Brown has more than two decades of experience in New York City and New York State government, advising elected officials and negotiating key policy and budget issues. Under Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brown served as the Director of New York City’s State Legislative Affairs Office, where she was responsible for advancing the City’s budgetary and legislative agenda.

Brown served as an Associate Director at the NYC Office of Management and Budget, where she oversaw the budgets for the NYC Department of Education, the City’s investments at CUNY, and the 59 Community Boards. Additionally, at OMB, Brown led the Intergovernmental Relations unit, advancing the City’s fiscal priorities at the city, state and federal levels.

Before working in New York City government, Brown held several roles at the New York State Assembly advising the Speaker and Assembly leadership, directing budget analysis, developing policy initiatives, and leading budget and policy negotiations. Currently, Brown serves as the Assistant Deputy Comptroller at the Office of the State Comptroller where she leads several teams in overseeing local government and school district finances including the distribution of more than $1 billion annually and statewide fiscal stress monitoring.

“I am thrilled to welcome Simonia Brown to our administration,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Simonia is an experienced and deeply committed leader. Her track record of winning budgets and policies that lift up working people will be invaluable as we deliver on our affordability agenda for New Yorkers.”

“I am honored to join Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. Mayor Mamdani gave a voice to New Yorkers facing a soaring cost-of-living crisis. I’m looking forward to working alongside our partners in Albany to deliver the Mayor’s affordability agenda and provide real relief for working families in New York,” said Simonia Brown, Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy.

MAMDANI ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES CITY WILL RESTART 31ST STREET REDESIGN IN ASTORIA

NYC DOT will immediately restart the redesign process through fastest path to deliver the critical safety upgrades

City’s law department will also file a notice of appeal of court ruling barring completion of the project

NEW YORK – The Mamdani Administration today announced the city will restart the process to redesign 31^st Street in Astoria, Queens, a critical street safety project on one of the borough’s most dangerous corridors. Following a court decision that halted the project on Friday, December 5, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) will begin the redesign process to comply with the court’s decision —the fastest path to delivering the critical safety upgrades in the corridor. The New York City Law Department will also file a notice of appeal of the court’s ruling.

“I love being in Astoria. Walking through it, biking across it, and driving from one end to the other,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “But when I can, I avoid doing so on 31st Street because it isn’t safe for pedestrians, cyclists or drivers. Enough is enough. My Administration is restarting the 31st Street Redesign because New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to go out of their way because our roads are too dangerous.”

“31st Street is one of the most dangerous corridors in Queens, and we must act with urgency to make it safer,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “We have a proven safety-focused design solution, and it will be implemented as quickly as possible. Since 2020, there have been two traffic deaths and 190 injuries along this corridor—and that is unacceptable. We are beginning the mandatory consultations and will issue the notices needed to restart the project, while also filing a notice of appeal of the court’s decision.”

Under city law, there is a legally required Major Transportation Project (MTP) process that must be followed for certain transportation projects. A court decision took issue with how NYC DOT previously completed this process. The agency intends to begin the MTP process for 31^st Street again in compliance with the court’s decision. This approach is the fastest path for delivering critical improvements to the corridor, and the city is also filing a notice of appeal.

NYC DOT began installing the project in 2025 to improve safety with a more orderly street design. The project would preserve the existing single travel lane in each direction, while adding parking protected bike lanes and pedestrian islands. Similar designs have shown to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries by 18 percent.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the nomination of transportation policy leader Midori Valdivia to lead the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) as Chair and Commissioner on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Kara McCurdy/Mayoral Photography Office

Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Christine Clarke to Lead the New York City Commission on Human Rights

Mamdani Administration continues efforts to use law as a tool to fight the affordability crisis

Clarke has fought — and won — legal battles for low-income New Yorkers, securing language access rights for immigrant victims of domestic violence and life-saving housing subsidies for elderly and disabled New Yorkers

As Chair, Clarke will advance the Mayor’s agenda of fiercely defending the rights of working New Yorkers

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Christine Clarke as Chair of the Commission on Human Rights. As Chair, Clarke will tirelessly defend the rights of every single New Yorker, enforcing the NYC Human Rights Law, one of the most comprehensive civil rights laws in the nation, and will promote public education so every New Yorker knows their rights. Clarke will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

Christine Clarke is the Chief of Litigation and Advocacy and member of the executive team of the largest civil legal services organization in the country, Legal Services NYC — offering a vast array of legal services benefiting over 100,000 low-income New Yorkers each year. Clarke has fought, and won, countless legal battles for low-income New Yorkers, including helping secure access to life-saving housing subsidies for elderly and disabled New Yorkers after their head of household has died, access to residential water services for elderly or disabled low-income homeowners, and language access for NYCHA tenants.

She has also represented countless individual New Yorkers who were victims of workplace discrimination and harassment, survivors of domestic violence who faced housing and employment discrimination, people with disabilities who needed workplace and housing accommodations, and so much more.

“I am proud to announce Christine Clarke as our Chair and Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights. She has spent her career fighting for working people and using the law as a powerful tool to confront inequity. In the midst of an affordability crisis, Christine will ensure the Commission enforces the law to protect New Yorkers and helps build the city we deserve,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“It is a privilege and an honor to join this administration — and to fight alongside the Mayor for a vision of a fairer, more equitable and affordable New York City,” said Christine Clarke, Chair of Commission on Human Rights. “I’ve spent my entire career fighting for working New Yorkers — because no matter where you were born, what language you speak, what religion you practice, whether you have a disability, your race or ethnicity — if you live here, you’re a New Yorker. I promise that as the next Chair of the NYC Commission on Human Rights, I will work with you and fight for you to help make New York City a place where we can all survive and thrive.”

“There is much more work to be done to make our city more equitable, just, and affordable, and I know with Christine Clarke as Chair of the Commission on Human Rights, New Yorkers have a dedicated ally who will fight for that vision of New York City. Economic justice includes the ability to participate fully in the life of the city whether you’re looking for a job or a place to live and I look forward to working with Christine to confront inequality and protect working New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

“Christine has the brilliance and instincts to be a superb litigator and also the empathy and sensitivity to be a wonderful colleague and manager. Throughout her career, service to others has been her guiding principle, and I am thrilled to see her in this new role,” said Mai Ratakonda, Program Director, Legal, States United Democracy Center.

“While I am certainly very sorry to see her go, I can’t think of anyone better to lead the City’s civil rights enforcement agency at a time when civil rights are under attack from virtually every direction,” said Shervon Small, Executive Director, Legal Services NYC. “Christine’s leadership as Chief of Litigation has been formative, leaving the organization in a strong position after a difficult federal transition, and shaping our work — and our readiness to meet this moment — in ways that cannot be overstated. She has been deeply passionate about her work here and will bring that same passion and dedication to her new role, continuing to fight for our clients every single day. The Commission on Human Rights will be exceptionally well served by her leadership, perspective, and experience, and I look forward to our continued collaboration.”

Christine Clarke is the Chief of Litigation and Advocacy and member of the executive team of the largest civil legal services organization in the country, Legal Services NYC — offering a vast array of legal services benefitting over 100,000 low-income New Yorkers each year. Clarke has fought, and won, countless legal battles for low-income New Yorkers, including helping secure language access rights for immigrant victims of domestic violence in encounters with the NYPD, access to life-saving housing subsidies for elderly and disabled New Yorkers after their head of household has died, access toyhh residential water services for elderly or disabled low-income homeowners, and language access for NYCHA tenants.

Clarke’s passion for fighting oppression and injustice has been a driving force throughout her career. As the Director of LSNYC’s Civil Rights Justice Initiative until 2018, she worked on a range of civil rights matters including multiple lawsuits against the New York Police Department, NYC’s Department of Finance and NYC Housing Authority, which resulted in critical changes to policies and procedures, including better language access for immigrant and LEP New Yorkers.

Clarke also recently served as a staff attorney at Planned Parenthood Federation of America where she challenged abortion bans in multiple states, helping keep health center doors open as long as possible to ensure people had a chance to make their own decisions about their lives and futures.

She is a graduate of Oberlin College and Yale Law School, where she was a student editor of the Human Rights and Development Law Journal and a member of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined Commissioner Sam Levine to announce worker protection enforcement blitz alongside Deputy Mayor Julie Su, Worker’s Justice Project, and Los Deliveristas Unidos in Brooklyn on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

Mayor Zohran Mamdani Announces Senior Communications Hires

Mamdani taps top Sanders aide Anna Bahr as Communications Director

Senior communications team brings deep experience in city & state government, national campaigns and New York City politics

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced senior communications hires for City Hall, assembling a team with deep experience in government, organizing, and national campaigns — and a shared commitment to building a city that works for working people.

Anna Bahr joins the Mamdani administration as Communications Director, overseeing the administration’s communications strategy, press office, digital and new media operations, and agency communications.

Bahr most recently served as communications director for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and previously worked as a national spokesperson on his 2020 presidential campaign. She has worked on campaigns across the country and also brings city government experience, having served as a spokesperson and speechwriter under former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

“Mayor Mamdani is modeling a different kind of government — not a billionaire-funded, consultant-driven administration, but one that champions the needs of working people,” said Bahr. “It’s what New Yorkers deserve and I’m proud to be part of his team.”

“For this administration, communication is more than a political tactic, it’s fundamental to our belief that every single New Yorker deserves a place in our politics — and with these experienced, principled hires, we will deliver a new era of governance for New York City,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Joe Calvello will serve as Press Secretary, leading the press office, serving as the mayor’s chief spokesperson and overseeing City Hall deputy press secretaries and agency press shops.

Calvello previously served as a senior advisor to U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner and chief strategy officer for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson during the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He has worked in communications for Sens. Bernie Sanders and John Fetterman, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and numerous campaigns.

Monica Klein will serve as Senior Advisor for Communications focusing on long-term planning, messaging, and earned media.

Klein is a founding partner at Seneca Strategies and most recently served as Mamdani’s transition communications director. Klein has led communications for successful city and statewide campaigns, including the expansion of universal 3-K and pre-K and new progressive state taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. She previously served as a deputy press secretary under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Dora Pekec, the spokesperson for Mamdani’s historic campaign, will continue as Senior Spokesperson, leading rapid response and serving as the principal spokesperson for Room 9.

Pekec previously served as communications director for Brad Lander’s mayoral campaign and has national experience with the House Democrats’ campaign arm, Governor J.B. Pritzker’s re-election campaign, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s press office, and other campaigns.

Lekha Sunder will serve as Deputy Communications Director, focusing on messaging and coordinating communications strategy across city government.

Sunder joined Mamdani’s primary campaign in February and played a central role expanding the campaign’s reach across traditional, digital and earned media. She previously worked as a press secretary on Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in Pennsylvania.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces the appointment of nationally recognized organizer and racial justice strategist Afua Atta-Mensah as Chief Equity Officer and Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ). 170 E 121st, Manhattan. Thursday, January 15, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

MAYOR MAMDANI & GOVERNOR HOCHUL TO LAUNCH FREE CHILD CARE FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN NYC — GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES INVESTMENTS TO DELIVER UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE FOR NEW YORK CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

Governor Will Partner with Mayor Mamdani to Deliver Full Promise of City’s 3K Program

Affordable Childcare for Nearly 100,000 Additional Children Through Statewide Universal Pre-K, Launch of 2-Care, New Community Care Programs, and Expanded Access to Targeted Child Care Subsidies

All Four-Year-Old Children in New York State to Have Pre-K Access by the 2028-29 School Year

Governor Hochul today announced an unprecedented investment as the next step to deliver affordable, universal childcare for children under five years of age across New York State. The Governor will partner with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to deliver free child care for two-year-olds in New York City, in addition to strengthening the existing 3K program to achieve universal care and ultimately, serve all families across the city.

In 2026, the state will continue to expand access to high-quality child care programs throughout the state, through a diversity of models, saving New York families billions of dollars each year. Since taking office, Governor Hochul has already taken major steps to expand access to affordable child care for families through an $8 billion dollar investment in the state’s child care infrastructure, dramatically expanding access, as part of laying the groundwork for the implementation of universal child care statewide.

“There’s one thing that every family in New York can agree on, the cost of childcare is simply too high,” Governor Hochul said. “As New York’s first mom Governor, fighting for New York’s families has always been at the core of my agenda. Since taking office, I’ve put families front and center, fighting to make our state more affordable and laying the groundwork to deliver universal childcare. Today, I’m proud to partner with Mayor Mamdani and leaders across our state to make this a reality, turning that foundation into a concrete roadmap that will transform the lives of working parents and kids across our state.”

“Over the past 14 months, a movement was born to fight for a city where every New Yorker could afford a life of dignity and every family could afford to raise their kids. Today, Governor Hochul and I meet that movement as we celebrate our joint commitment to universal child care,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “This victory represents much more than a triumph of city and state government working in partnership—it is proof that when New Yorkers come together, we can transform the way government serves working families.”

Governor Hochul’s State of the State investments will commit to delivering affordable childcare for nearly 100,000 more kids.

Make Pre-K truly universal statewide,

Partner with New York City to launch the new Mayor’s signature 2-Care program and finally realize the promise of universal 3K access in New York City,

Support other counties in building out new child care pilots that offer high-quality affordable care to families regardless of income, and

Expand child care subsidies to tens of thousands of additional families.

Alongside these commitments, the Governor will launch an Office of Child Care and Early Education to steer the implementation of high-quality, universal child care for New York families.

Today’s announcement builds on steps that Governor Hochul has taken to expand access to affordable child care for families, laying the groundwork for the implementation of universal child care statewide. Specifically, the State has already:

More than doubled the number of children served by child care vouchers in just four years, with an almost 25% increase in the past 12 months alone.

Provided more than $8.6 billion for child care, including more than doubling funding for subsidies.

Dramatically expanded the number of families who are eligible by increasing the maximum income from 200 percent of Federal poverty level (roughly $64,000 for a family of four) to the maximum allowed under Federal law – 85 percent of Statewide median income (roughly $114,000 for a family of four).

Made child care more affordable by reducing the amount those receiving subsidy pay by capping costs at $15 per week for most families.

Increased reimbursement rates for providers by nearly 50%, helping providers retain staff and provide quality care for children across the state.

Supported the future creation of thousands of child care seats and new centers through more than $150M in capital funding.

Achieving Truly Universal Pre-K

While four year olds in some parts of New York have long had access to pre-k, there are dozens of school districts that have not yet been able to make it available. Governor Hochul is providing additional support to ensure truly universal Pre-K for all four-year-olds in the State by the start of the 2028-2029 school year.

The State will not only fund additional seats to achieve universality but will also increase funding for existing seats, bringing them up to the greater of $10,000 or the applicable school district’s current selected foundation aid per pupil, so that districts have what they need to provide high-quality Pre-K. This combination reflects a commitment of roughly a half-billion dollars and will ensure that every child in New York State enters kindergarten ready to learn.

Launching 2-Care and Reaching Universal 3k Access in NYC

New York City has already launched universal Pre-K and 3K, and Governor Hochul will partner with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to age this program down and launch an unprecedented initiative to offer entirely free child care for two-year-olds within New York City. The Governor is committing to fully fund the first two years of the city’s implementation. As envisioned by the incoming mayoral administration, the first year of the program will focus on high-need areas selected by New York City and expand to serve all interested families across the city by year 4. In addition, the Governor will partner with the Mayor to strengthen and fix the city’s 3K program and ensure it achieves its promise of universal access.

Continuing Access to Low-Cost, Affordable Child Care Assistance Programs

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York has more than doubled investment in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which provides subsidies to help low-income families access child care. By dramatically increasing the State’s investments in the program while expanding eligibility, the program now supports 2.5 times more children – an additional 100,000 – than when Governor Hochul took office; the number of children served has increased by almost 25% in the past year alone. Most of the families of the 170,000 children served by the program pay no more than $15 a week for child care.

This year, Governor Hochul will continue to grow the State’s investment in child care subsidies for those that need it most with a $1.2 billion increased investment, bringing the total available for subsidies to over $3 billion. This is more than 3.5 times more than the $832 million provided prior to the Governor taking office, and a nearly 40 percent increase from what was made available in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget.

Piloting Innovative Community Care Models Across New York Counties

In 2026, Governor Hochul will launch innovative new pilot projects for children in counties outside of New York City that are also ready to launch child care in more expansive ways in their communities. The Governor will launch a new New York State pilot, designed to support counties in working towards universal access to affordable, year-round, full-day care for thousands of families across these communities, regardless of income. Programs will be a joint collaboration between participating counties, local child care coordinating entities, and New York State.

Office of Child Care and Early Education

A new Office of Child Care and Early Education will drive the implementation of high-quality, universal child care in New York State. The Office will oversee and support roll out of universal Pre-K, continued investment in 3-K, launch of 2-Care and other innovative care options, expansion and improvement of vouchers, and ongoing support for the workforce.

Supporting the Workforce Through Early Childhood Educator Preparation

Governor Hochul’s plan to strengthen New York’s early childhood education workforce include expanding existing workforce scholarships, seeking opportunities for new Workforce Pell grants, and directing SUNY and CUNY to take a number of steps to expand and streamline early childhood education programs.

Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Credit to Better Support Families

Governor Hochul will expand and simplify the child and dependent care tax credit to provide an additional average benefit of $575 for 230,000 tax filers. She will also undertake a thorough review of existing tax incentives for employers with the goal of helping them better serve the child care needs of their employees.

Mayor Mamdani Joins Under the Radar Theater Festival to Give Away 1,500 Free Tickets in Commitment to Making Arts and Culture Accessible to All

Mamdani handed out free tickets in Flatbush to college students, local residents on Friday

NEW YORK, NY – TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined Under the Radar theater festival in promoting their major free ticket giveaway, which will make 1,500 free tickets available to participating shows at theaters across the city in January as part of the “Under the Radar for All” effort. Under the Radar, America’s largest theater festival, includes more than 25 new shows from innovative artists across the globe, presented in partnership with a vibrant community of partner venues across the five boroughs. As a part of Mayor Mamdani’s commitment to making the arts accessible to working New Yorkers, he helped distribute tickets to students and neighbors outside of the Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College, where the festival is presenting RECONSTRUCTING. New Yorkers can claim their free tickets at UTRfest.org/under-the-radar-for-all while they are available. Photos of the ticket giveaway are available on the NYC Mayor’s Office Flickr page.

Just nine days into the Administration, Mayor Mamdani has already turned his laser-focus on the affordability crisis into meaningful improvements in the lives of New Yorkers. From cracking down on bad landlords and junk fees to fixing dangerous bike infrastructure to helping deliver more than $1B towards universal childcare alongside Governor Hochul, the Mayor is fighting hard for the city New Yorkers deserve. This commitment extends beyond rent and childcare – to the plays, comedy shows, and art exhibits every New Yorker deserves.

“The arts are too often considered a luxury for the wealthy or a treat for the tourists, rather than a form of expression, joy, and relaxation that every New Yorker deserves,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “I am grateful for Under the Radar’s generosity and their work to share the experience of live theater citywide and am ready to build upon these efforts to make art accessible and affordable across our five boroughs.”

“Under the Radar has long been committed to building a creative ecosystem habitable for the many, not the few. If Shakespeare is free, so should contemporary performance. That belief is beautifully reflected in the myriad partner organizations coming together behind the belief that non-commercial art and international perspectives matter deeply. The stats–31 shows across 24 venues–are one thing, but they are meaningless without adventurous audiences in multiple boroughs bringing the festival to life. We are deeply grateful to Mayor Mamdani and his team for helping us bring so many more people to the party,” said Under the Radar Founding Artistic Director Mark Russell.

“We are in the business of tending how ideas move between people and in the world. Theater at its best is a model of participatory society. Over the last 3 years, Under the Radar has continued expanding into a plurality of voices and perspectives. We are thrilled to gather with the Mayor to expand and meet the civic duty of the arts – reaching representative publics,” said Under the Radar Co-Director Kaneza Schaal.

About the Under the Radar Theater Festival:

For over two decades, the Under the Radar theater festival has brought bold, risk-taking work to New York City, celebrating groundbreaking theater and performance both from around the world and from just down the street. Produced in partnership with venues across the city, the festival showcases innovative multidisciplinary artists whose work speaks powerfully to the present. UTR’s 21st season, running January 7 to January 25, convenes a lineup of more than 30 productions at 25 separate venues, including Lincoln Center, La MaMa, PSNY, New York Theater Workshop, Japan Society, and Mabou Mines. 2026 marks Under the Radar’s third year as a citywide collaboration, informed by the multiplicity of vision of our partner institutions’ artistic leaders. This season features the most exclusively Under the Radar-commissioned and produced work offered yet. 2026 also inaugurates a new leadership model in which Co-Creative Directors Meropi Peponides and Kaneza Schaal join Founder and Artistic Director Mark Russell to form the first of what will be a rotating cohort of festival curators, ensuring the festival’s programming is forever of-the-moment. The festival is produced by Thomas O. Kriegsmann and Sami Pyne of ArKtype. Find out more at utrfest.org.

TRANSCRIPT: MAYOR MAMDANI HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY AFTER HANDING OUT FREE TICKETS FOR “UNDER THE RADAR” THEATER FESTIVAL

Mayor Zohran Mamdani: Good morning, everyone. It is a privilege to be here at Brooklyn College with you this morning, and I want to say thank you to the Under the Radar Festival for—give them a round of applause—for providing 1,500 tickets to New Yorkers free of cost and allowing us to be here to help celebrate that decision. When I speak about making our city more affordable, my vision is not limited to the homes that we live in or the childcare that we’re making universal. It’s also a vision where we make it possible for working people to afford lives of joy, of art, of rest, of expression.

And I met New Yorkers today at our giveaway where they shared with me the struggles in their own life, and so often all they are seen for are those struggles. All they can think of are those struggles, and what today also provides an answer to is that they, too should have art in their lives. They, too should be able to engage, express, and reflect on themselves and the world around them.

And I’m so thankful, frankly, to this incredible festival for not only the work that it has done in years past, but its commitment today in ensuring that arts becomes that much more accessible for each and every New Yorker, especially those for whom it hasn’t been the reality.

And this giveaway is a reminder that art is a form of connection in a city that is both desperate for it and dependent on it. The shared laughter in a crowded theater, the eager debrief after a musical, the heavy silence that hangs over all of us in a drama, these are moments that every New Yorker deserves.

That is why I am so delighted to be here to spread the word that the Under the Radar Festival, the nation’s largest theater festival, is giving away free tickets because they, too believe that art is better when it can be shared and enjoyed by every single New Yorker.

So I encourage everyone to take advantage of this incredible offer and to witness greatness from the stage, because the next legendary New York theater star is probably waiting just behind the curtain. And I even had a man look at me and say, as one former rapper to another, you need to come to my show. So everybody’s making their pitch, as they should, and now New Yorkers need not worry about how much money’s in their pocket and whether or not they can actually attend that show.

Because what this provides the opportunity to New Yorkers for is the chance to fall in love with their city all over again. And I am so thankful to this festival, I am thankful to our partners in government, I’m thankful to our assemblymember, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and I’m thankful because what today shows is just one step we are making to make this a city that everyone can afford not only to live in, but also to enjoy.

The affordability agenda cannot simply extend to the largest issues in our lives, it has to be the focus of all of our efforts in each and every moment of the day that we call New York City our home. From the buses you ride, to the theater, to the show itself, this is an agenda that has to give New Yorkers back the city that they love, the city that they deserve. Thank you so much.

Question: I’m curious about whether you see this as a one-off or whether you have a broader critique of the affordability or accessibility of theater in New York, and if so, what do you see doing with it?

Mayor Mamdani: This is just one example of an agenda and an approach that we are going to take to ensure that arts are not simply thought of as a luxury for the wealthy or a treat for the tourists. Arts have to be something that are infused into the lives of everyday New Yorkers. We know that for too long, it has felt as if a world away.

There are people just a few blocks away for whom this festival was something they hadn’t heard of until this announcement was made. And so we are going to spend our time, our agenda, and the time that we have in office in doing everything we can to bring arts back to New Yorkers all across the five boroughs.

Question: There were two police-involved shootings last night. I was wondering, when were you first briefed on those incidents and how come you didn’t put out a comment on it until this morning? Since we’re short on time, I also wanted to ask, we reported earlier this week–

Mayor Mamdani: I’m just going to answer that one, and then I’ll come back to you for a second, just to make sure we answer it in totality. So I take it very seriously, the language that I use, and I think that in a situation such as this, you have to be very intentional in what you share. And so while I was briefed about this late last evening, I wanted to make sure that everything that we shared with New Yorkers was the language that we wanted them to know about this.

And I’ve made those broader thoughts clear, and I would also add, frankly, that last night officers were placed in incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances. The actions they took, they responded swiftly. And I will always emphasize, when someone has been killed, the need for a thorough investigation, as is our current process. And we are going to work to ensure the safety of both officers and New Yorkers at large. I know you had a second question.

Question: We reported earlier this week that New York City taxpayers, at this point, have paid more than $600,000 to represent former Eric Adams advisor Tim Pearson in sexual harassment lawsuits. This representation has long been controversial. Do you plan on rescinding that taxpayer-funded private representation from Mr. Pearson?

Mayor Mamdani: As soon as we read that report, we started to look into it, and when we have anything additional to share, we will do so. But thank you for the report.

Question: Mayor, following up on the police incidents last night, I’m just wondering about the protocol. Do you call the officers? It can be very traumatic if they’re involved in a fatal shooting. Did you speak to the police commissioner, or just what was your interaction with the NYPD?

Mayor Mamdani: My interaction continues to be that of which it is on a daily basis, which is a constant interaction with the NYPD and with the police commissioner as well. I am deeply appreciative, not only of her work, but of their work, and what we need to see now is both a recognition of just how difficult and dangerous that situation was, and the investigation that we always know comes as a result.

Question: Just a quick follow-up. Because these seem to be mental health-related incidents, does it give you any pause about your intention to form a separate department, Department of Community Safety, to handle mental health incidents?

Mayor Mamdani: We continue to need an answer to the more than 200,000 mental health calls that the NYPD responds to and receives on an annual basis, and I do continue to believe in the importance of having a mental health unit dedicated specifically to the mental health crisis, and I also recognize the difficulty that last night’s situation presented for those officers in their act to swiftly to respond to it.

Question: And to follow up on that, you obviously have public safety experts on your transition team. How, or are they recommending how a community safety response would be to an incident at Methodist? Steps to how that would take place?

Mayor Mamdani: This is very much in the conversations that we’re having at this time. What I do appreciate, however, is that as we chart a new path forward, that we continue to have a Police Department that is responding to the needs that are in the immediate.

Question: Would [there] necessarily be a team that [would have] been discharged to Methodist Hospital in the case last night?

Mayor Mamdani: So those are hypotheticals that we will not engage in at this time. What I will tell you is that I’m appreciative of the work that the NYPD continues to do in responding to public safety needs. Thank you.

Question: I have a question for my colleague, Greg Smith. He reported on your DOI commissioner attending for a resignation. He’d like to know why you accepted her resignation.

Mayor Mamdani: She has been unwavering in her fight against corruption, and I thank her for her service. She made the decision to offer that, and we will leave the answer as to why she did so to her.

Question: You accepted. Can you say why?

Mayor Mamdani: We are putting together an administration that is dedicated to building a new era in our city, and so we are continuing to make decisions on retention and recruitment. We appreciate her service.

Question: I just wonder, I’m sorry to go back to the NYPD questions. You were sort of here and speaking to us. It was the first time that you said anything about the officers, and in the tweet you sort of spoke about an internal investigation and about the folks who were killed in those instances.

There’s questions in the department about why you’re not more forceful, about the work that those officers did, and then there’s also apparently consternation with the police commissioner about not hearing from you publicly about it and feeling as though there wasn’t enough support for those officers who fired, and it’s a traumatic experience for them as well.

Mayor Mamdani: I want to be very clear in the first remarks that I’m sharing with you here. As I said earlier today, that last night [the] officers were put in a difficult and dangerous situation, and I continue to appreciate the work that they do every single day in New York City to keep New Yorkers safe, and I also recognize the immense difficulty that comes with that responsibility, and I appreciate the work also of my police commissioner in ensuring that we are delivering this public safety to New Yorkers, and that to me is the focus at this moment. Thank you, guys.

Banner Image: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels celebrated the opening day of 3-K and Pre-K applications with a visit to a 3-K and Pre-K child care center in Cypress Hills on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Image Credit – Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as Mayor of the City of New York on January 1st, 2026. Prior to becoming Mayor, he represented the 36th New York State Assembly District and its neighborhoods of Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights.