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ew York City Mayor Eric Adams made a brief appearance at the Real Estate Board of New York's annual gala, mingling with industry leaders and posing for photos before being whisked away to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The mayor's visit was seen as a nod to his efforts to build relationships with real estate executives, who he claims have supported him since his 2021 mayoral campaign.

    Adams' appearance came after a year in which he spoke at the event and reprimanded attendees for not doing enough to block policies he opposed. This time around, he chatted with developers and posed for photos before being escorted away. A spokesperson for the mayor later stated that Adams would discuss city priorities with Trump.

    Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the REBNY crowd, touting the housing package approved last year and her public safety agenda, which includes increasing overnight police patrols on subways. She praised the trade group and commented on the elected official turnout at the event, joking that it was a "damn good party."

    Other notable attendees included Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres Springer, Rep. Ritchie Torres, and city Comptroller Brad Lander. Tenant groups and some elected officials protested outside the venue, holding signs calling for rent freezes and criticizing REBNY's influence on housing policy.

    Inside, REBNY leaders spoke and presented awards to members and elected officials, with President Jim Whelan addressing the crowd and discussing progress on housing and office market trends. The event served as a temperature check for political attitudes toward the industry, with some attendees expressing concerns about affordability and others defending their interests.