Despite populist platform, de Blasio pulls in real estate bucks

From left: Raphael De Niro, Aaron Jugreis, Ken Colao and Bill de Blasio
From left: Raphael De Niro, Aaron Jugreis, Ken Colao and Bill de Blasio

As mayoral frontrunner Bill de Blasio nears the finish line, several big names in the real estate industry are throwing in their support.

Though de Blasio has railed against luxury condominiums at the expense of affordable housing, Douglas Elliman super broker Raphael De Niro opened his wallet for the candidate, Crain’s reported, as did his colleague Leonard Steinberg. Ken Colao, president of CNY Builders, Sotheby’s International Realty broker Karen Heyman, Aaron Jugreis of Rosewood Realty Group and Brown Harris Stevens bigwig Kyle Blackmon have also rallied behind the populist candidate.

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“He’s going to be the mayor whether they like him or not,” an insider told Crain’s of the last-minute round of support. “A third wants bragging rights that they supported him, a third thinks it’s an insurance policy against him coming after them and a third thinks it gives them the ability to call him up and yell at him.” [Crain’s]Julie Strickland