Mamdani's Handwritten Notes Shown at Hearing
Notes displayed at a City Hall hearing on horses and housing include questions about the DHS commissioner and carriage horse rules.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in City Hall
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani's handwritten notes were displayed Wednesday during a City Hall hearing on horses and housing. The notes were taken while he attended a hearing on the horse-drawn carriage ban in Central Park.
Why it matters
The City Council passed a horse-drawn carriage ban last month, and Mamdani must decide whether to sign it. The displayed notes show the questions he was weighing as the bill and related housing measures moved forward in New York City.
A city law requires carriage horses to receive at least five weeks of vacation or furlough every twelve months, a standard referenced in the displayed notes. Mamdani has not yet decided whether to sign the horse-drawn carriage ban bill passed by the City Council last month.
The players
Zohran Mamdani
Mayor of New York City, who must decide whether to sign the horse-drawn carriage ban bill passed by the City Council.
New York City Council
The legislative body of New York City, which passed the horse-drawn carriage ban last month.
The details
Mamdani's handwritten notes were displayed during a hearing where he sat through testimony on the carriage ban and real estate issues. One note reads, "Horses have a 5 week/yr," while others question the DHS commissioner and hospital medication practices in Brooklyn.
Timeline
Sunday: Mamdani wrote a note about two Brooklyn hospitals and custody medication.
Tuesday: Mamdani wrote a note about a school question.
November 2: Mamdani wrote a note asking who the DHS commissioner is.
Wednesday: City Hall hearing on horses and housing where the notes were displayed.
Last month: City Council passed the horse-drawn carriage ban.
Political Context
The pending carriage ban goes beyond the existing city law requiring carriage horses to receive five weeks of vacation or furlough each year. Opponents and supporters of the ban will weigh whether that furlough rule is enough protection for the animals.
If the carriage ban is signed, horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park would end. The outcome also affects the horses and the operators who run carriage businesses in the city.
The takeaway
The displayed notes show the mayor weighing animal welfare, public safety and housing questions in real time. Residents can track the carriage ban decision as it moves toward a signature or veto.
What happens next
Mamdani must decide whether to sign the horse-drawn carriage ban bill passed by the City Council last month.
Further reading
Explore more in City Hall coverage of how the mayor and Council are handling the carriage horse and housing debates.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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