Max Politics

Journalist David Brand and housing advocate Annemarie Gray joined the show to discuss the saga over Lower Manhattan's Elizabeth Street Garden, which recently hit a major inflection point that may signal a final resolution leaving the garden a public park and advancing housing development at alternative sites. Brand, a housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, and Gray, executive director of Open New York, joined host Ben Max to discuss the specifics of the ESG story, but also what it means in the bigger picture of the city's housing politics and policy landscape. They also touched on several other housing issues in the conversation.

The co-chairs of the New York City Council Progressive Caucus, Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Sandy Nurse, joined the show to announce the release of the Caucus' legislative agenda for the current term (2026-2029). The 13-bill priority agenda includes bills dealing with public safety and policing, housing, worker protection, and much more. Cabán of Queens and Nurse of Brooklyn are co-chairs of a 23-member Progressive Caucus that is slightly shy of a majority in the 51-seat Council, and they spoke with host Ben Max about the strength of the Caucus, status of several of the bills in the package, and efforts to build support to pass them into law. (Ep 610)

Three leaders of the reform movement in Brooklyn Democratic politics — Julio Peña III, Caitlin Kawaguchi, and Tony Melone — joined the show to discuss the future of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. In June, the “Brooklyn Can't Wait" coalition won enough District Leader positions to elect a new county party chair, and that majority announced its intention to back Peña III for the powerful post. He outlined his vision as Brooklyn Democratic Party chair during this wide-ranging conversation. (Ep 609)

Leila Bozorg, New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning, joined the show to discuss the Mamdani Administration's "Block By Block" housing plan, the city's multi-faceted housing crisis and various strategies to address it, key policies and programs underway and others in development, and more. (Ep 608)

In this special episode, hear members of The New York Editorial Board - a group of veteran journalists that includes Max Politics host Ben Max - discussing Mayor Zohran Mamdani's tenure thus far and broader political and policy trends. Nine of the Board's 11 members participated in a live event hosted by ABNY - the Association for a Better New York - on July 23, 2026 at The Greene Space. The conversation includes several audience questions. (Ep 607)

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Manhattan Democrat, joined the show to discuss economic development, the city's handling of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak, a pay boost for school aides, a potential ban on horse carriages in the city, and more. (Ep 606)

Assemblymember Micah Lasher joined the show to discuss his win in the Democratic primary for New York's 12th Congressional District (much of the East and West Sides of Manhattan), where he beat a crowded field of competitors to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, as well as Democratic Party unity, political trends in New York, and some of the policy issues he wants to focus on in Congress. (Ep 605)

Strategist Matt Wing joined host Ben Max to analyze Mayor Zohran

Mamdani's first six months in office, which included staffing up his

administration, his first state and city budget cycles, attempting to

follow through on major campaign promises, dealing with unexpected

challenges and key relationships, celebrating a Knicks championship,

and getting involved in a series of Democratic primary races. (Ep 602)

New York State Assembly Member Jordan Wright, a Democrat representing Manhattan's 70th Assembly District, based in Harlem, joined the show to discuss his win over a DSA-backed challenger, shifting Uptown and Democratic politics, the results in the overlapping 13th Congressional District (where Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat), and more. (Ep 601)

Arpit Gupta, a member of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) and an associate professor of finance at NYU's Stern School of Business, joined the show to discuss his lone dissenting vote as the RGB approved a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, fulfilling a key campaign promise made in 2025 by Mayor Mamdani. Gupta also discussed a variety of aspects of the city's rent-stabilized housing stock and system, and what comes next for the roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments. (Ep 600)