Michael Che is playing Superman for tenants in one of New York City's housing projects ... he's paying their rent for a month, and wondering why the government isn't doing more to help.

The "Saturday Night Live" star just announced he's gonna cover rent payments for all 160 apartments in the NYC public housing project where his late grandmother lived.

Michael says it's crazy to him that residents of NYC public housing are still expected to pay rent when so many have lost their incomes due to the coronavirus pandemic ... and says he's being generous in the spirit of his late grandma, who recently died due to complications from COVID-19.

The comedian says his contribution is only a drop in the bucket, and he's calling on the Big Apple to develop a better plan for debt forgiveness for anyone living in public housing. He says it's the least the city can do.