'A new sheriff to fear': Comrade Bill de Blasio vows to 'seize' buildings of landlords who displease him [video]

Sarah D | 6:01 PM on January 10, 2019

Everyone (rightly) concerned over Donald Trump’s threat to take control of the border wall situation through executive powers should also give New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio a listen. Because de Blasio’s on a power trip of his own:

“The city’s worst landlords will have a new sheriff to fear,” @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio says in State of the City address. Then: “We will seize their buildings, and we will put them on the hands of a community nonprofit!” pic.twitter.com/CojxSLxjXa

— Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) January 10, 2019

"…we will seize their buildings, and we will put them in the hands of a community nonprofit that will treat tenants with the respect they deserve." – @NYCMayor https://t.co/Ehs53D9xDz

— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) January 10, 2019

More from Reason:

“The city’s worst landlords will have a new sheriff to fear,” de Blasio said, calling the new agency (which he created on the spot by signing an executive order) a “new arm of city government that will root out the worst landlord abuse.”

As the New York Daily News notes, the city already has an Office of Tenant Advocate. However, it has not yet been funded, according to the Progressive Caucus of the New York City Council.

So what will the Office to Protect Tenants do? De Blasio didn’t really explain, though his executive order says it will serve as a “central resource for tenants, social service agencies, advocacy organizations, legal services providers, landlords and management companies of affordable housing, and others on tenant issues,” including “tenant harassment.”

According to his office’s website, De Blasio is “pursuing new local law to seize upwards of 40 of the most distressed multiple dwelling buildings annually and transition them to responsible, mission driven ownership.” Passage of this legislation would presumably give the Office to Protect Tenants the authority to seize land.