... New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) proclaimed a "new era" as he took the helm of the country's largest city on New Year's Day.
Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist whose star rocketed last year, was publicly sworn in on the steps of City Hall, where he addressed a crowd of thousands in a sweeping inauguration speech attended by top progressive allies.
"My fellow New Yorkers, today begins a new era," Mamdani said.
Here are five takeaways from Mamdani's inauguration and his first hours in the mayor's office:
Mamdani gets to work on NYC affordability
Mamdani, whose policy proposals for rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, universal child care and fare-free city buses have been criticized as unfeasible, laid out a bold vision for affordability in New York City as he rejected "small expectations" in his inaugural speech.
"Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try," Mamdani said in his inauguration. "We will transform the culture of City Hall from one of no' to one of how.'"
But the new mayor's progressive agenda faces massive challenges in the Big Apple. Rising housing costs and historic-low vacancy rates are pushing some to leave the city, homelessness doubled between 2022 and 2024, and policy changes at the federal level are set to further squeeze New Yorkers' pocketbooks. The city ended 2025 with a staggering budget deficit of $380 million, according to the Independent Budget Office.
He'll also need support on some of his initiatives from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who has backed Mamdani but expressed reservations about some of his plans, such as his goal to make city buses free to ride. ...
