Name: Richard LeFrak on Zohran Mamdani, NYC housing & why developers are “villains” | Coffee Talk
Uploaded: 2026-05-13T09:01:08Z
Description: What’s really driving America’s housing crisis?

Uploads from The Real Deal

What’s really driving America’s housing crisis?

Richard LeFrak on Zohran Mamdani, NYC housing & why developers are “villains” | Coffee Talk

"That's what you call a wig snatch." New York real estate's most powerful CEOs just turned The Real Deal's NYC Forum into a live-fire debate over Compass, private listings and who really controls NYC's market.

Pam Liebman BETS $1M Corcoran won’t become Compass in brokerage showdown

Pam Liebman challenged Bess Freedman to a $1 million bet over the future of residential brokerages.

Brokerage execs Pam Liebman and Bess Freedman clash over private listings and more | NYC Forum 2026

At the second panel in The Real Deal’s NYC Forum, one of the mayor’s top housing officials acknowledged that the current Rent Guidelines Board process is flawed. 

Leila Bozorg and Kirk Goodrich on the RGB's blunt tool and YIMBY opportunities | NYC Forum 2026

Related Companies Chief Executive Officer Jeff Blau is steadfast on New York City. 

Related boss Jeff Blau on Hudson Yards Phase II, why 485x doesn't work, and more | NYC Forum 2026

Protesters interrupted Related CEO Jeff Blau three times during his appearance at #TRDForum, turning a discussion about Hudson Yards’ next phase into a flashpoint over public subsidies, private development and New York politics.

Protesters interrupt Related CEO Jeff Blau over $2B Hudson Yards subsidy

On this week’s episode of Deconstruct, hosts Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke dive into the increasingly political world of New York City real estate.

Why NYC real estate is suddenly all about politics | Deconstruct Season 5 Episode 12

A Frank Lloyd Wright house may be one of the most prestigious homes you can own — but preserving one can cost millions.

Why Frank Lloyd Wright houses are becoming money pits

A Texas bullet train project that's been stuck in limbo for years just took a major step forward: demolition crews are tearing down Houston's Northwest Mall to make way for a proposed high-speed rail terminal.

Is Texas' bullet train back from the dead?

"The next big deal is probably in this room." We asked the crowd at our NYC #TRDForum why they came — and almost everyone said the same thing: opportunity.

Inside NYC real estate's can't-miss event

"The biggest misconception about real estate is…" We asked some of the biggest names in the business to finish that sentence at our NYC #TRDForum — and they had plenty to say.

What people get wrong about real estate, according to these pros

Listen as Vornado chairman Steve Roth calls out Mayor Mamdani and NYC leadership, argues for a pro-business approach and warns that higher taxes could hurt the city’s future.

“Stop showboating” — NYC developer's message to Mamdani

Steve Roth opens Vornado's latest earnings call defending billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin, blasting Mamdani's "tax the rich" rhetoric and warning politicians about targeting wealth — all while a $1.9 million-square-foot NYC office project hangs in the balance.

Vornado's Steve Roth goes OFF on “tax the rich” — earnings call turns fiery

Vornado chairman Steve Roth opens an earnings call with an unexpected topic: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s viral video targeting billionaire Ken Griffin.

Vornado's Steve Roth BREAKS SILENCE on Mamdani vs. Ken Griffin

Tenant organizing is inching closer to formal power. A newly introduced New York bill would treat renters a bit more like a workforce — granting them a pathway to collective bargaining, a window into landlord finances and a say before major property decisions unfold.

NY landlords brace for the Tenant Power Act

On this episode of Deconstruct, hosts Lilah Burke and Hannah Kramer unpack the growing challenges for the Chetrit Group, longtime players in New York City real estate now dealing with lawsuits, alleged mismanagement, and mounting lender pressure. The episode takes listeners inside a tense courtroom auction tied to a $132 million judgment, offering a rare glimpse into how distress is playing out in real time.

Breaking down the Chetrit Group's challenges | Deconstruct Season 5 Episode 11

The DOJ is seeking to seize a Beverly Hills mansion tied to a $700 million military fuel contract and a powerful family in Iraqi Kurdistan.

DOJ moves to seize Beverly Hills mansion owned by top Kurdish general

You know the story. Now watch how The Real Deal brought it to light. Told by the reporters who broke the story, episode 2 of "The Alexander Brothers" documentary traces how allegations of abuse in luxury real estate moved from whispers and lawsuits to a historic federal case.

How The Real Deal broke the Alexander Brothers story

A $237 million mansion with Nixon lore, Scarface cred and a helipad meet-cute? Investor John Devaney — once on Time’s “25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis” list — is looking to cash in on his Key Biscayne waterfront compound, complete with 862 feet of frontage, a cinematic past and enough history to rival the price tag. If it lands near ask, it could shatter Miami-Dade’s home-sale record.

“Scarface” mansion hits market for $237M, priciest in South Florida

In 2024, the real estate industry was shocked by allegations that the Alexander Brothers – some of the highest-flying luxury brokers – had raped multiple women. The Real Deal's Katherine Kallergis, Sheridan Wall, and Ellen Cranley chronicled the fallout from the earliest allegations to the downfall of the brothers' business. The trio had gone from working with Douglas Elliman, representing clients like Ken Griffin, Kim Kardashian, and Leon Black, and launching their own firm to being subject to federal sex trafficking investigations. In March 2026, the world watched as they went to trial – and were found guilty on all counts. 