Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed Wednesday that he will not fulfill his campaign promise to build housing on the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden in Lower Manhattan, citing actions taken by the previous administration under Mayor Eric Adams. The announcement came ahead of a court hearing scheduled for next week, which is expected to signal a potential settlement allowing developers to build 180 affordable homes at an alternative location.
Mamdani stated that while he intended to proceed with building housing on the garden, his predecessor's First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro's legal maneuvers made the plan "nearly impossible." Mastro and the Adams administration designated the Nolita property as official city parkland, a designation that can only be reversed by the state Legislature. This action occurred one day before the 2025 mayoral election, which Mamdani won.
A week prior to his election victory, Mamdani had told local news outlet Hell Gate that he intended to evict the garden and move forward with plans for affordable housing. Following the parkland designation, Mamdani publicly acknowledged on November 13 that it would be "nearly impossible" to develop housing on the 20,000-square-foot space.
The Elizabeth Street Garden has served as a green space in Lower Manhattan for decades. The land is city-owned, making it a potential site for affordable housing. In 2017, former Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a 123-unit housing project for seniors on the site, which faced opposition from some neighbors and celebrities.
Adams initially supported the housing project but reversed his stance in June 2025. Negotiations led by Mastro proposed preserving the garden and instead developing 600 affordable housing units at three other locations. This agreement drew criticism from affordable housing advocates who accused the Adams administration of prioritizing the interests of garden supporters over the city's housing needs.
Mamdani's mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, has publicly disagreed with his stance on the garden. Mamdani previously noted this divide, joking about his mother's differing opinion.
The potential settlement involves three developers: Pennrose, Habitat for Humanity, and Riseboro. They are expected to receive approval to build housing at 22 Suffolk Street. When asked why his administration did not pursue a reversal of the parkland designation through state lawmakers, Mamdani reiterated his stance that the prior administration's actions created insurmountable obstacles.
Randy Mastro, who has since taken on causes that conflict with Mamdani's administration, issued a statement responding to Mamdani's comments. Mastro defended his administration's actions, stating, "Even when Mayor Mamdani does the right thing and I praise him for it — like maintaining Elizabeth Street Garden as dedicated parkland and producing even more affordable housing in the process (just as our administration proposed) — he still takes a swipe at me."
Mastro also noted a recent legal victory against Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax for luxury second homes, concluding, "So, another legal battle won, but apparently can’t win with him."