On his second day in office, Mamdani announced an effort to get more people involved in city government -- a move meant to mirror the grassroots energy of his successful campaign.
The creation of the Office of Mass Engagement will be led by Tascha Van Auken, the head of his huge campaign volunteer network.
"For too long, city government has only listened to the wealthy and well-connected while working New Yorkers remain further and further disconnected from those elected to serve them," Mamdani said. "The Office of Mass Engagement will fundamentally change this, creating a deeper connection between City Hall and community organizations, faith-based groups, and everyday New Yorkers looking to make their voices heard."
He started his day on Friday morning like an everyday New Yorker himself, greeting commuters on a packed W train as he rode from Astoria, Queens to City Hall.
He gripped an iced coffee in one hand as he shook hands with the other commuters -- laughing and joking with riders, while taking countless selfies.
"I love your energy, you're awesome," one rider told him after shaking hands.
Asked by another rider how long he would be commuting from Queens, he said "for just a little bit longer," indicating he would be moving into Gracie Mansion soon.
His first attempt to tap to ride using his cell phone failed, forcing him to try another turnstile.
"Not working, that's a real New York experience," he said
When asked about this weekend's fare hike to $3, which he opposed during the campaign, Mamdani said he will show it is "out of step with what New Yorkers need at this moment."
"I made it very clear that I think that public transit should be something that each and every New Yorker can afford, when I was in the state legislature, I introduced legislation that would have frozen the fare where it was, this only heightens the urgency to make buses fast and free across all five boroughs of New York City," he said.
On Friday afternoon, Mamdani also announced Ali Najmi as the chair of the Mayor's Advisory Committee on the judiciary. He was a legal advisor on the campaign and will now advise Mamdani on judicial appointments.
The new mayor hit the ground running on Thursday, signing five executive orders, three of them aimed at confronting the city's housing crisis.
The first executive order he signed revoked all executive orders issued by former Mayor Eric Adams the day after Adams was federally indicted.
One revoked executive order barred city agencies from boycotting or divesting from Israel. Another adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism that equates some forms of anti-Israel criticism, like opposition to Israel's ethnically Jewish character, with antisemitism.
Mamdani said he would not revoke Mayor Adams' creation of the city's office to combat antisemitism.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani revokes Eric Adams' executive orders on Israel
The new mayor also signed an executive order establishing that he will have five deputy mayors, fewer than during the Adams administration.
Mamdani's three other executive orders focused on housing.
One of those orders will revive the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants, which will serve as a central coordinating body to defend tenants' rights, stand up to landlords, and ensure city agencies act swiftly on behalf of renters facing unsafe or illegal conditions. The other two executive orders establish task forces related to accelerating housing development.
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