Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, R-NY, described New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed $22 billion housing overhaul as part of the “Communist playbook” during a recent interview on “Wake Up America,” co-hosted by Marc Lotter and Sharla McBride.
Malliotakis criticized the mayor’s plan to build 200,000 rent-stabilized housing units and transfer ownership of neglected buildings to nonprofits, community land trusts, or tenants.
“This is obviously something that is a part of the Communist playbook to seize private property,” she stated.
The lawmaker argued that New York City government already struggles with public housing management through the New York City Housing Authority, which she described as plagued by poor living conditions and chronic neglect.
“Here’s the largest slumlord in the city of New York — the city of New York itself — saying they can do a better job,” she added.
While acknowledging the need to address abusive landlords, Malliotakis said New York’s aggressive regulations have discouraged investment and made affordable housing development more difficult.
She highlighted Republican-backed federal initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply, including an expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and Opportunity Zones championed during President Donald Trump’s administration.
“There’s some real opportunity here,” Malliotakis noted, pointing to efforts in Congress to increase affordability and encourage private-sector housing development.
Malliotakis also proposed reducing capital gains taxes for seniors selling longtime family homes, arguing it would free up more housing inventory for younger families. “If we can eliminate the capital gains tax for those seniors under a certain income … it will actually open up more housing stock,” she said.
The lawmaker further criticized city spending on homeless shelters over permanent housing solutions, calling current costs “ludicrous” and urging a federal investigation into how taxpayer dollars are being spent.
During the interview, Malliotakis also targeted the activist group Code Pink, accusing it of undermining U.S. national security through alleged ties to communist China, Iran, and Cuba.
“This is actually an organization that is undermining the U.S. government,” she declared, praising ongoing Treasury and Justice Department investigations into the group.
