Wednesday, Feb. 25, marked the 56th day of Zohran Mamdani’s term as mayor. amNewYork is following Mamdani around his first 100 days in office as we closely track his progress on fulfilling campaign promises, appointing key leaders to government posts, and managing the city’s finances. Here’s a summary of what the mayor did.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani credited President Donald Trump with boosting interest in the city’s emergency snow‑shoveler program after the president scoffed at it in the lead-up to and during his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
During his 108-minute address, the longest ever State of the Union, Trump gave the “new communist mayor of New York City” a shoutout as a nice guy whom he speaks to frequently. (Mamdani is a democratic socialist, not a “communist.”)
“Bad policies but nice guy,” Trump said before taking a jab at the city’s long-running emergency snow shoveling program that pays residents to supplement the work of the Department of Sanitation.
To sign up for the program, New Yorkers must provide two forms of identification and a Social Security number to ensure they are paid the $30‑per‑hour rate. Mamdani put out his own PSA encouraging New Yorkers to sign up and help dig the city out from the recent blizzard — catching the eye of the White House.
During the State of the Union, President Trump called it hypocritical for Democratic-run New York City to impose such requirements for a temporary job, contrasting it with what he described as the lack of voter ID rules nationwide, including in New York, where voters must show proof of citizenship when registering, but are not required to present ID when casting a ballot.
But identification requirements are part of state law for anyone seeking to obtain a job in New York, and other states around the country.
Trump’s remarks referenced the broader debate over laws like the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act (SAVE America Act), which aim to define what forms of identification are required to vote. Trump pushed on Tuesday night for Congress to pass the legislation after it passed the House earlier this month.
If passed would the law would require proof of U.S. citizenship just to register to vote, reject many commonly used IDs, including REAL IDs and driver’s licenses, without additional documentation, create new hurdles for people who have changed their names, disproportionately affecting women, and make voting by mail more difficult and less accessible.
Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network were among those criticizing the president’s renewed push for the SAVE America Act, saying it threatens voting rights and urging the Senate to oppose any legislation that weakens the Voting Rights Act. NAN also cited proposed cuts to food assistance programs, potential losses in healthcare coverage for 14 million Americans, and the dismantling of the Department of Education as additional concerns from the SOTU.
“We have seen this playbook before, but we remain steadfast and unbowed,” NAN said.
On Wednesday, Mamdani did not address the substance of the SOTU but thanked the President for the attention that helped drive new sign-ups for the program. He said more than 1,400 residents enrolled in a single day after Trump first mentioned the program on Monday during a news conference.
“I want to actually say thank you,” Mamdani said. “I didn’t expect this much attention nationwide on our emergency snow shoveler program.”
“It is a program that has existed for years… and it’s been a conversation that’s been helpful in sharing the fact that New Yorkers can be a part of this,” he continued.
The mayor said the temp shovelers had helped clear more than 16,000 crosswalks, 4,166 fire hydrants, and nearly 7,000 bus stops. The mayor also praised the efforts of city workers, including 2,600 sanitation employees working 12-hour shifts to manage the storm’s 28–30 inches of snow in some areas. He also highlighted the NYPD Tow Truck Task Force, which helped free ambulances, buses, and private vehicles blocked by snow.
Since Mamdani’s meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office on Nov. 21, the pair have kept in constant contact, but the mayor has kept the content and frequency of those conversations closely under wraps.
“I’ll keep the conversations that I have with the president private. I will tell you, however, that whenever they do happen, they always focus on how to better our city,” Mamdani said Wednesday, in what has been a usual response to questions about their relationship.
Public Safety: Snowball fight saga rolls on
The fallout from Monday’s snowball fight in Washington Square Park, which saw at least two cops reportedly suffer facial lacerations after being pelted with ice and snow, continued on Wednesday as the NYPD released more images of people wanted for what the department has called a “criminal act.”
The incident has put Mayor Mamdani at odds with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and the officers’ unions, which have insisted that those responsible be held accountable.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Mamdani was repeatedly asked about the videos and the NYPD’s response. He described the incident as “a snowball fight that got out of hand,” slightly shifting from his earlier public characterization that it appeared to be “just a snowball fight.”
“I think our officers, just like any city workers, deserve respect. And once again, these are the views that I’ve shared, both in public as well as in any conversations I’ve had,” the mayor said.
When asked whether he would revise his statement given that police were not throwing snowballs like the revelers in the Greenwich Village greenspace, Mamdani said:
“I’m not going to be banning snowball fights or organized snowball fights. I’ve shared my thoughts with New Yorkers, and I continue to believe that what we are seeing in this response to this winter from city workers as a whole, and that includes the hard-working men and women of the NYPD, is part of why the city is getting back on its feet. and I’m appreciative of that work.”
He also acknowledged the ongoing tension in messaging between his office and the police commissioner:
“I’m appreciative of the work that my police commissioner does, and the work that we are doing to keep New Yorkers safe across the city, and that’s the work that I’m looking forward to continuing,” he said.
Childcare: 75,000 families apply for free childcare as deadline looms
Mayor Mamdani opened Wednesday’s press conference in Morningside Heights by building a snowman with local pre-K students, using the moment to urge parents to submit applications for the city’s free 3-K and Pre-K programs before the Feb. 27 deadline.
Since applications opened on Jan. 14, more than 75,000 New York City families have already applied, the mayor’s office said, noting that anyone who applies before the deadline will receive an offer.
“Child care can cost more than $26,000 a year in New York City — a price tag that puts raising a family out of reach for far too many,” Mamdani said. “When families enroll their children in Pre-K and 3-K, we’re putting that money back in their pockets and making this city more affordable. If you have a child turning three or four this year, now is the time to apply.”
The programs are free for all families, regardless of immigration status, family income, or language spoken, and applications are available in 13 languages via MySchools.nyc, City Family Welcome Centers, or by phone at 718-935-2009.
The mayor also noted that 2,000 new 2-K seats will launch this fall, the first time 2-K will be offered in NYC.
He added that as applications are reviewed to determine where additional seats are needed, the City will continue expanding 3-K capacity, including through partnering with community and home-based child care providers.
Appointments: Mamdani Hires out-of-state veteran to lead DSS
Mayor Mamdani is bringing in an outsider to run the city’s sprawling Department of Social Services, naming Erin Dalton, a human services veteran from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as commissioner on Wednesday.
Dalton takes over from Molly Wasow Park, a holdover from the Eric Adams administration who resigned earlier this month, as the city grapples with scrutiny over its handling of homelessness this winter.
The past two months have included two major snowstorms, including Winter Storm Fern, which was linked to at least 15 hypothermia-related deaths, though no fatalities were reported during this week’s blizzard.
Dalton, until now the director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, will take over as commissioner of the city’s DSS, which includes the Department of Homeless Services and the Human Resources Administration — the vast bureaucracy that handles everything from emergency shelter to food benefits for millions of New Yorkers.
Announcing her appointment, Mamdani said New Yorkers “deserve leaders who listen and act with urgency.”
“Erin Dalton has spent decades proving that government can and must work better for people who rely on it most. She has expanded access to housing, strengthened social services, and protected our most vulnerable neighbors,” the mayor said.
Dalton, who led the Allegheny County Department of Human Services from 2020 until her departure for NYC, oversaw a mix of crisis response, housing initiatives, and public health programs.
The Mamdani administration credited Dalton with driving measurable progress in crisis response and homelessness, citing her work building a coordinated winter shelter network that officials said reduced the number of people living outdoors by nearly 98%.
City Hall also highlighted her leadership in large-scale reforms across behavioral health and community safety, including redesigning the county’s mobile crisis response system, deploying behavioral health professionals to respond to human service 911 calls, expanding medication-assisted treatment in the jail, and advancing violence prevention efforts.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New York City and to advance Mayor Mamdani’s affordability and community safety agenda. DSS can reduce the painful trade-offs families make between food and medicine, housing and safe childcare,” said Dalton. “We can work to help the best public servants in the country deliver assistance more efficiently and with greater dignity. And we can work relentlessly so that all New Yorkers have access to better resources. I can’t wait to get started.”
