Just days into his tenure as mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani faced a backlash over social media posts that one of his housing officials made a few years ago describing homeownership as a “weapon of white supremacy” and calling for political action to “impoverish” the white middle class.

Those who have worked with the official say she has been an effective housing advocate, and her past intemperate statements may reflect a person she no longer is.