Zohran Mamdani, at 34, became the youngest New York City mayor in over a century when he took office on January 1st. His first 100 days have been marked by several key events. These include the transfer of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to a Brooklyn prison, social tensions arising from the brutality of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, his alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump, and, most notably, his management of winter storms. His handling of these issues has earned the approval of 65% of respondents. The mayor has also positioned himself as a staunch counterpoint to the White House's immigration policies by reinforcing New York City's status as a sanctuary city to limit federal agents' operations within the city. A flagship of his administration has been housing. During his campaign, his proposal to freeze rent prices was a central theme. Accordingly, one of his first measures was to revitalize the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. In his first 100 days, Mamdani has launched public hearings to expose fraud, announced a strategy for fines against landlords who commit violations, and reaffirmed his commitment to building housing and promoting models to partially 'demonetize' it. Another major focus has been achieving universal childcare up to the age of five. In partnership with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the mayor announced thousands of free childcare slots for children aged 2 and 3. However, both housing and childcare are structural reforms that will require more effort and time to come to fruition. To implement them, Mamdani must first win a battle in the City Council against council members who oppose his plan to raise taxes on the rich, and he must also reach a budget agreement before the July 1st deadline for approving the next fiscal year's budget. Despite the skepticism, nearly half of New Yorkers support his management and appreciate his efforts to fulfill his campaign promises.
