NYC mayoral debate: Mamdani, Cuomo, Sliwa face off | Live Updates

One of the biggest issues in the New York City mayoral race has been affordability.

On Thursday night, the candidates clashed over the issue.

Mamdani said he would build 200,000 affordable homes across the five boroughs for the next 10 years, and make it easier for the private sector to build housing.

Cuomo responded, saying that freezing the rent only postpones the increase, stating that you have increase it to cover the costs, otherwise the building will go bankrupt. He added that Mamdani's plan does nothing for the majority of renters who aren't in rent-stabilized apartments, it does nothing for NYCHA, and it does nothing for communities who are getting priced out.

Cuomo pointed to his experience as HUD secretary as to how he has built affordable housing across the country.

Meanwhile, Sliwa claimed that affordable housing can be built in huge skyscrapers all throughout Manhattan, northern Brooklyn and in Long Island City. He says those buildings can be converted into affordable apartments.

The candidates were asked to state how much they spend a week on groceries.

Cuomo said, "probably $150."

Sliwa said $175 and added that "the price is too costly."

Mamdani agreed with Sliwa, and said he spends about $125 to $150.

They also revealed how much they spend on rent/mortgage each month.

Sliwa said $3,900, Mamdani said $2,300 and Cuomo said $7,800, while also taking shots at the Democratic nominee over his rent-stabilized apartment.

Moderators told candidates that the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) that investigates police misconduct regularly recommends discipline for cops accused of wrongdoing, but the police commissioner often overrides them.

Mamdani responded, saying that it's time to remove politics out of the question of accountability, and that the recommendations made by the CCRB should not be subject to political pressures.

Cuomo said he would not remove the commissioner from the board, and attacked Mamdani, claiming the Democratic nominee doesn't like the police.

Mamdani called Cuomo a "politician of the past," and that the former governor is speaking about tweets from the past, and not what Mamdani is currently running on.

When asked about how Mamdani has evolved on his view of police, he said that to deliver justice means to deliver safety, and that also means leading the city where the bravery of the men and women of the NYPD are recognized, in addition to those who have been victimized.

Sliwa responded, saying that what Mamdani has proposed will endanger women and children in domestic violence situations.

During an appearance on Fox News Channel earlier this week, Mamdani sidestepped a question about whether Hamas should lay down arms as part of a fragile truce that has paused the two-year Israel-Hamas war.

On Thursday he did not equivocate, saying, "Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms."

The comment came as Cuomo again tried to characterize Mamdani as dangerous to Jewish New Yorkers by highlighting his past reluctance to condemn use of the phrase "Globalize the intifada," which is seen by many Jews as a call to violence.

"Why wouldn't he condemn Hamas?" Cuomo said. "He still won't denounce 'Globalize the intifada,' which means kills all Jews."

Since the primary Mamdani has said he does not use the phrase and would discourage people from saying it.

But Sliwa said it wasn't enough.

"Jews don't trust that you are going to be there for them when they are the victims of antisemitic attacks," he said.

Mamdani accused Cuomo of discounting the city's Muslim community, claiming that it took losing to a Muslim candidate for Cuomo to step inside a mosque.

"It took me to get you to even see Muslims as part of this city," Mamdani said.