“You know about Mitchell-Lama?” Timothée Chalamet asked the podcaster Theo Von, who responded, “Oh yeah, the restaurant stars or whatever?”
Mr. Chalamet was not, in fact, referring to Michelin stars, but to the affordable housing program that has subsidized the construction of over 260 developments, encompassing more than 105,000 apartments, since its creation in 1955.
“I grew up in a Mitchell-Lama,” Mr. Chalamet continued. “To my understanding there’s two versions of good arts housing. You’ve got Section 8. That means you’re paying under 800 bucks.” The other “good” arts housing in New York, according to Mr. Chalamet, are Mitchell-Lama buildings, which are for moderate and middle-income families. “That’s me, baby,” the actor said. “Moderate.”
The brief exchange during an episode of “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” which aired on Monday, gained traction on social media. One housing advocate referred to the 28-year-old actor, who has been called a “nepo baby,” as the “the new housing justice icon” for mentioning the program. (His mother was a dancer and actor; his father a journalist.) Also in response to the clip, Scott Stringer, the former New York comptroller, wrote on X, “I am totally fine with Timothée Chalamet playing me in the biopic.”
The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program was designed to provide affordable rental and cooperative housing to middle-income families using state and city subsidies. (The program derived its name from two legislators who cosponsored the bill, MacNeil Mitchell and Alfred A. Lama.)
Over time, however, the program would face many challenges. Among them: Long waiting lists and a desire for profit. Housing companies and cooperatives can voluntarily exit the program after 20 years and subsequently charge market rents. At least 93 Mitchell-Lama developments have dissolved to date.
Mr. Chalamet lived in Manhattan Plaza, also known as “Broadway’s Bedroom,” a 46-floor, 1,689-unit Mitchell-Lama complex in Hell’s Kitchen that provides housing to New Yorkers working in the performing arts.
“I grew up in arts housing, Manhattan Plaza, which is a funky way to grow up,” the actor told Rolling Stone last month. “I could try to paint it negatively to you. I could try to paint it positively, but it’s a bit of everything. It’s nuanced.” Other notable Manhattan Plaza residents have included Alicia Keys and Larry David.
Typically the waiting list at Manhattan Plaza is long, but it reopened this spring. To qualify as a single resident, one must earn an income below $106,920. Mr. Chalamet would most likely no longer qualify — Variety reported that the actor earned more than $8 million for the 2023 film “Wonka.” And now, he’s starring in the highly anticipated Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” which comes out in theaters on Christmas Day.
But he doesn’t seem to be struggling to find housing. Two years ago, Mr. Chalamet reportedly bought an $11 million estate in Beverly Hills, Calif. Now, he’s bragging about his “moderate” upbringing. Whether the actor will be a housing justice icon remains to be seen.
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