STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani visited Staten Island Dec. 19, and sat down with the Advance/SILive.com for a brief interview about how he plans to approach the borough in his new administration.
Here are some key takeaways from that conversation, or read the full Q&A (or view above):
Addressing housing affordability and homeownership
Mamdani identified affordability as the primary concern for Staten Islanders, distinguishing between the ability to simply “survive” in the city and the chance to “build a life,” in raising a family and buying a home.
He acknowledged that Staten Island, once an accessible option for homeownership, is now becoming “increasingly out of reach,” pushing residents to New Jersey or Long Island.
Mamdani has vowed to make affordability a central focus of his administration, aiming to ensure no New Yorker is priced out of the city.
Vision for fast and free public transit
Mamdani has proposed a transformative vision to make all city buses “fast and free,” and recognized that Staten Islanders face unique transit difficulties.
He referenced the success of the fare-free bus pilot, noting that one Staten Islander who trekked out to a Queens speaking engagement described the free S46 bus as a way for her to connect with her borough in a new way.
He described the broader free bus idea as a critical solution that addresses both affordability by reducing daily expenses and mobility by improving access across the Island and city.
Mamdani’s plan is ambitious, aiming to cover every bus, including the express bus system essential to Staten Island commuters.
Countering secession by making Staten Island a ‘focus’
When asked about the local secession movement, Mamdani said he saw Staten Island as a “critical part of New York City.”
He acknowledged where the movement comes from, recognizing that past administrations had often treated the borough as a “footnote” rather than a priority.
He reframed the narrative of a “forgotten borough” to a “borough of many memories” whose history and residents have felt unrecognized.
Mamdani’s proposed solution is to demonstrate through action that his administration will take Staten Island’s concerns seriously and deliver tangible results, thereby proving its value and integral role within the five-borough city and convincing residents they don’t need to leave.
State-level advocacy needed
To secure his free bus vision, Mamdani will need to advocate at the state level.
He also committed to championing comprehensive property tax reform, something that has long been sought by Staten Island homeowners.
Balancing housing development with community character
Addressing the potential conflict between building more housing and preserving Staten Island’s “suburban bucolic lifestyle,” Mamdani suggested that the city has not yet exhausted the opportunities to build where new housing is actively desired.
His administration’s overarching goal is to ensure no New Yorker is priced out due to a housing shortage. This approach prioritizes meeting existing demand and preventing displacement first, implying that difficult conversations about increasing density will be secondary to fulfilling the urgent and widespread need for more housing.
(A draft of this story was generated using AI. It was reviewed, edited and approved by Advance/SILive.com staff.)