Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Lina Khan and Anthony Shorris to NYC Economic Development Corp, Faces Rent‑Freeze Lawsuit

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani named former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan as board chair of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and longtime city official and McKinsey partner Anthony Shorris as president and chief executive of the agency. The appointments are intended to guide the city’s powerful development arm toward greater competition and affordable‑housing outcomes.

Separately, the city’s Rent Guidelines Board voted 7‑1 in late June to freeze rent increases for roughly one million rent‑regulated apartments for up to two years, delivering on a central campaign promise. A coalition of landlords sued to block the freeze, claiming the mayor stacked the board with loyalists and failed to consider rising property‑owner costs. The mayor’s office says the board acted independently, will defend the decision in court, and argues the freeze is necessary to keep housing affordable for tenants.

The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce welcomed Shorris’s appointment, stressing the need for data‑driven leadership at the EDC as the city confronts its weakest quarter of net business formation in five years and persistent storefront vacancies.