The newly appointed director of New York City’s Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, Cea Weaver, previously expressed controversial views on homeownership during a 2021 podcast appearance. Her statements, made before assuming her current role, are now receiving renewed scrutiny as she wields significant influence over city tenant policy.
During a September 2021 episode of the “Bad Faith” podcast, Weaver argued that the primary opposition to renter-friendly policies doesn’t stem from large corporations, but from individual homeowners. She specifically identified “White, middle-class homeowners” as a substantial obstacle to a “renter justice movement.”
Weaver posited that homeowners perceive eviction moratoriums and rental assistance as infringements on their property rights, creating a powerful resistance to progressive housing reforms. This dynamic, she explained, presents a unique challenge for organizers seeking broader tenant protections.
She went further, suggesting a need to actively “undermine the institution of homeownership” itself. Weaver argued that because homeownership has become the primary source of stability in the U.S. due to shortcomings in social safety nets, it inherently hinders housing activism.
Weaver framed evictions not as economic issues, but as power struggles, asserting that landlords resist the notion of tenants having long-term rights to properties they believe they own. She advocated for policies like universal rent control, tenant unions, and increased taxes on the wealthy to fund rental assistance.
Past social media posts have surfaced, echoing these sentiments. A 2019 post, later deleted, described homeownership as “a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy.” These statements add another layer to the ongoing discussion surrounding her appointment.
On her first day in office, Weaver participated in announcing city intervention in the bankruptcy proceedings of Pinnacle Group, a landlord facing numerous housing violation complaints. This action signaled an immediate and assertive approach to tenant protection under her leadership.
The controversy surrounding Weaver’s past remarks raises questions about her approach to housing policy and the potential impact on homeowners and renters alike as she implements her vision for New York City.
