Municipal Socialism’s “YIMBY” Problem. The Housing Crisis and Zohran – Which Way Forward ?

It’s Tuesday, November 4 : Soon-to-be mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces—after weeks of ducked questions—that he is voting yes on housing ballot Propositions 2 through 4. Props 2, 3 and 4 generated significant disagreement (in often illegible ways) with bizarre medleys across the spectrum of politics on both sides of the debate ; neither the socialist nor the tenant movements offered sanctuary from this confusion. In the months since their passage, and with Zohran’s administration having made its first moves, it has become increasingly clear that Props 2 through 4 served as a microcosm for larger and more longstanding political and strategic divergences within the socialist and tenant movements. These ballot propositions are the tip. In this article, our aim is to explore the iceberg.