New York City tenants shared stories of unsafe conditions and unresponsive landlords at a “Rental Ripoff” hearing hosted by Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the Bronx on Wednesday night.

The hearings aim to gather accounts from renters and connect them with agencies that can help resolve housing issues.

What You Need To Know

Bronx tenants aired complaints about mold, pests, broken elevators, and slow repairs at a “Rental Ripoff” hearing

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the hearings will help shape new tenant-rights policies

Some landlords also spoke, asking for attention and fairness, especially small-scale landlords

The next hearing is scheduled for March 28 in Manhattan

Mamdani attended his first hearing in the Bronx, speaking directly to tenants who had registered to attend. He told them that the gatherings were more than a forum for complaints, saying their input would serve as the foundation for new policies on tenant rights.

Tenants at the hearing cited issues including mold, pests, broken elevators and long delays in repairs.

“We are not getting the fixtures that we need. You know, we call them landlord, and some people call them slumlords, but they are not either. By definition, they are not either. They are profiteers because what they are doing is essentially just taking the rent that is paid to them, and they’re not doing the fixtures,” said one renter.

“When we ask for repairs, we are not getting them. When they do finally come and pay attention to the repairs, they do a very shoddy, half-string jobs that doesn’t really take care of the problem. It’s more like a band-aid,” one tenant said.

Some landlords also spoke at the hearing.

“I’m basically here because I would like Mamdani to show the same love and appreciation for the tenants. I would like him to exhibit some of that energy toward landlords. Not the ones — I’m not speaking for, the five-building, 200-apartment ones, no. I’m one home, two apartments, one basement,” one landlord said.

Housing advocates in attendance criticized the hearings for focusing heavily on private rental units while leaving out public housing residents. City Hall said all residents are welcome to participate.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 28 in Manhattan.