Vote on 17 Ways That Mayor Mamdani Could Improve New York

More housing and public toilets. Fewer trucks. We canvassed dozens of experts on ideas for making the built city more livable. What do you think?

By Michael Kimmelman Photographs by Daniel Arnold

Michael Kimmelman, the architecture critic of The Times, has his share of complaints about the city but decided to outsource the soap box. He is a frequent collaborator with the noted New York photographer Daniel Arnold.

Jan. 5, 2026

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A new mayor, a fresh start — you know the drill. There are as many ideas out there for how Zohran Mamdani can now improve New York’s urban environment as there are New Yorkers.

I canvassed a few dozen planners, architects, academics, community leaders, neighborhood organizers, developers, housing and transit experts and former city government officials. I gave them no budgets or time lines. They gave me a mayoral to-do list of ideas big, small, familiar, deep in the weeds, fanciful and timely.