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What type of housing do you live in? Unregulated rental apartment
Are you now, or have you ever been a landlord? No
If yes, how many units and briefly describe what your experience has been.
Does your campaign accept contributions from real estate developers (including related individuals), corporate lobbyists, organizations that participate in the carceral system, and/or landlords? No
Have you ever worked in, or had another affiliation with, the Real Estate industry? Yes
Have any of your campaign or advisory staff held a position as a corporate lobbyist or an executive role with the Real Estate industry? Yes
If so, how can we be assured you will have tenants’ interests in mind?
Do you believe housing is a human right? Yes
If so, what does that mean to you, and if not, why not?
What actions have you taken in the past to fight for housing justice? I have consistently prioritized housing justice throughout my career. As a City Councilmember and Chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, I have fought for tenant protections, stronger HPD enforcement, and increased funding for NYCHA and other affordable housing. My office collected over 700 community surveys identifying housing as the top concern, and we are developing specific demands based on those insights. I’ve also championed a rent freeze at the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) and pushed for expanded legal services to support tenants. Through constituent services, town halls, and workshops, I work to empower residents with the tools they need to advocate for their housing rights.
What are the most pressing housing issues, and what would you do as an elected official to address them? The most pressing housing issues in my district include rising rents, lack of tenant protections, inadequate funding for affordable housing, and unsafe living conditions caused by bad landlords. As an elected official, I have prioritized fighting for a rent freeze at the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), increased funding for tenant protections, stronger HPD enforcement, and expanded legal services for tenants. I also continue to advocate for more funding for NYCHA and other forms of deeply affordable housing to ensure residents have safe, stable homes. Additionally, I am committed to promoting healthy homes by holding negligent landlords accountable and ensuring tenants have access to the resources they need to address hazardous conditions. I will continue working with Met Council and other housing advocates to address these critical issues and protect tenants across my district.
Have you or anyone close to you (family, friend, etc) been evicted or been threatened with eviction? Yes
Have you ever had to fight a landlord for repairs or faced harassment? Yes
Do you believe that housing should be decommodified (publicly owned and tenant-controlled)?
Yes
Please explain your answer. Yes, I believe housing is a human right and should not be treated as a commodity. We need to expand publicly owned, deeply affordable housing that prioritizes people over profit. I strongly support community land trusts as a model for tenant-controlled, permanently affordable housing. Additionally, I am committed to strengthening rent regulation to protect tenants from displacement and skyrocketing rents.
What is one rent and/or eviction protection you would enact if you had the opportunity?
Do you agree that all evictions are violent? Yes
Why or why not? Being forced from one’s home disrupts families, destabilizes communities, and often leads to severe emotional, financial, and physical harm. As the representative of a district with the most rent-stabilized units in the city, housing justice is a top priority for my office. I have consistently fought for stronger tenant protections, expanded legal services, and increased funding for rent relief to prevent evictions. I remain committed to advocating for policies that keep people in their homes and ensure housing is treated as a fundamental human right.
Do you support the concept of universal rent control? Yes
For decades the Rent Guidelines Board has fueled the affordability crisis it was created to address. Most NYC tenants are rent-burdened, and hundreds of thousands of families, primarily Black and brown, are forced to deprive themselves of necessities to keep a roof over their heads, while owners’ profits hover near the 40% mark. Do you support freezing or even rolling back rents given these circumstances?
Yes
Do you support proposals to revise the RGB to make it more responsive to the needs of the tenants it was created to protect? Yes
Why or why not? During this administration, the RGB has voted to increase rents, which has only added to the financial burden on tenants. As the representative of a district with the most rent-stabilized units in the city, I believe we need an RGB that better reflects the voices of tenants and prioritizes affordable, stable housing. As someone who practices co-governance we need institutions like the RGB to better listen to the needs of tenants not just landlords.
Do you support the NYCHA 2.0 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and other privatization schemes? No
Please explain why or why not: I oppose the NYCHA 2.0 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and other privatization schemes because they risk displacing residents and undermine public control of affordable housing. I have strong connections to the two NYCHA developments in my district and am committed to protecting these communities. Privatization often leads to neglect and lacks long-term affordability. We must preserve public housing to ensure it remains safe, stable, and accessible for those who need it most.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems?
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair for years. To address these issues, we need significant investment from the federal, state, and city levels. Additionally, we need to improve NYCHA’s operations to ensure repairs are timely and prioritize tenant engagement. I am committed to organizing and working closely with tenants and housing advocates to push for coordinated efforts across all levels of government, ensuring that families have safe, stable homes.
How would you use your office to put pressure on landlords to make repairs and stop harassing tenants?
I use my office to amplify the voices of tenants and hold landlords accountable. I will push for stronger enforcement of housing laws, increased funding for legal services, and more resources for tenants facing harassment. Additionally, my office will support tenant associations and provide “Know Your Rights” trainings to empower residents to advocate for themselves. By strengthening tenant protections and ensuring consistent enforcement, we can create a safer, fairer housing environment.
Do you support regulating the 300,000 deregulated rent-stabilized apartments? Yes
Do you support significant expansion of HPD’s emergency repair program, including adequate funding, with the city correcting hazardous violations when the landlord doesn’t act promptly, then bills the landlord for the repairs and takes title to the building if the landlord doesn’t pay, keeping it as social housing? Yes
Why or why not? I support expanding HPD’s emergency repair program with adequate funding to address hazardous violations when landlords fail to act. The city should step in, make the repairs, bill the landlord, and take title to the building if they don’t pay, ensuring it remains social housing. As the Chair of the Labor Committee, I’m also fighting back against austerity and vacancies in city agencies, ensuring we have the resources and personnel needed to address housing issues effectively.
Do you support stronger penalties against landlords that practice source of income discrimination? Yes
Despite the city’s commitment to a right to counsel for low income families facing eviction in housing court, currently fewer than half of eligible tenants are getting lawyers. Meanwhile, landlords have pressed the courts to speed up the eviction process so they can take advantage of record high rents, negating efforts to reduce homelessness. Do you support fully funded right to counsel and slowing down the housing court eviction mill?
Yes