MAYOR MIA: Tens of thousands of NYers without heat in freezing temps; blame Mamdani
In this DML Report…
New York City recorded 80,000 heat and hot water complaints to 311 in January 2026, the highest monthly total on record, amid temperatures dropping to 4 degrees with reports of teens and near 10 degrees.
Since the start of the heat season on October 1, approximately 215,045 complaints were logged with 311 and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, surpassing the 187,775 from the same period the previous winter. City law requires indoor temperatures of at least 68 degrees during the day and 62 degrees at night from October 1 to May 31. Since January 22, about 12,000 of the January complaints have been closed through inspections or tenant confirmations. The city operates a 24/7 heat desk and emergency response, has invested hundreds of millions in heating upgrades, and faces a $78 billion repair backlog for public housing.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed Cea Weaver as tenant protection czar to advocate for stronger protections and less reliance on private ownership, with the administration reviewing the Housing Maintenance Code and enforcement through the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. Mamdani was called before the City Council to address emergency responses, as lawmakers question their sufficiency given the record number of complaints.
In private housing, tenants reported prolonged outages linked to financial distress or absentee ownership. At 491 Keap St. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, owned by Chetrit Group and Plaza Management, Alex Hughes experienced over 40 days without hot water in the last 11 months and 8-9 consecutive days recently, leading him to stay in a hotel and walk 15 minutes in snow to shower at a friend's. The building has been described as abandoned, with no heat for 15 days in one year, no trash pickup, no cleaning, utility shutoff notices, and unpaid electricity bills up to $350,000.
Fellow tenant Karlyn Murphy noted issues since early 2023, including piled trash, uncollected packages, and reliance on boiling water for showers and foot soaks; rent is $3,600, but comparable units cost $5,500-$6,500, making relocation unaffordable.
In Astoria, Queens, Nicole Pavez reported heat shutting off around midnight for the last week, not returning until morning, despite management refusing night heat below freezing. She uses layers, blankets, space heaters, and dresses her dog in sweaters, having filed 311 complaints but noting HPD cannot inspect overnight; her rent is lower than nearby options, with a convenient subway location.
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In NYCHA's Lehman Village Houses, residents faced extended outages. Malik Williams, a tenant since 2009, had no heat for most of January, using boiling water and portable heaters; heat was restored late in the month, attributed to a blizzard, with reimbursement via restored service.
Juanita Arnold, resident since 2008, experienced three months without heat from October to December, the first in 15 years; she avoided using the stove for warmth, placed unanswered 311 tickets, and was advised against calling to avoid fines.
Geraldine Williams, tenant since 2009, had no heat for about a week during the freeze, using a pot of water for warmth; no compensation was provided despite on-time rent payments, with NYCHA stating they were "working on it." One NYCHA tenant in a social media video described NYCHA as "the worst motherf—ing landlord" and called on Mayor Mamdani to intervene.
Historically, during the 2017-18 winter, over 80% of NYCHA residents had outages, leading to lawsuits and federal oversight; recent analyses show thousands of unplanned interruptions, with some apartments colder inside than outside. Tenants across private and public housing have withheld rent, pursued legal action, and relied on unsafe measures like space heaters due to enforcement gaps, especially for overnight checks, and financial barriers to moving.