What type of housing do you live in? Regulated 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? No
Have any of your campaign or advisory staff held a position as a corporate lobbyist or an executive role with the Real Estate industry? No
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? Food, clothing, and shelter are essential for life. government should facilitate access to housing.
What actions have you taken in the past to fight for housing justice? Participate in relevant rallies and forums. Discuss the need with elected officials.
What are the most pressing housing issues, and what would you do as an elected official to address them? Lack of real affordable housing. I’d urge legislation that makes the AMI to be set via zip-code and not regionally. I know this is a federal (congressional) decision but I would push the issue locally.
Deed theft is a problem that causes the loss of home ownership. I’d strengthen laws against predators who target elderly and vulnerable people to steal their homes.
Have you or anyone close to you (family, friend, etc) been evicted or been threatened with eviction? No
Have you ever had to fight a landlord for repairs or faced harassment? No
Do you believe that housing should be decommodified (publicly owned and tenant-controlled)?
Yes
Please explain your answer. Collective or communal ownership is superior to corporate or private ownership in general.
What is one rent and/or eviction protection you would enact if you had the opportunity?
The right of tenants to refuse police access to their space without specific court action having been appealed.
Do you agree that all evictions are violent? Yes
Why or why not? Most, if not all, people would resist being forced out of their homes. this would lead to confrontation, which leads to violence.
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? The RGB should be sensitive to the needs of the masses of people who need a break from rent increases.
Do you support the NYCHA 2.0 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and other privatization schemes? No
Please explain why or why not: The word “privatization” gets my attention but I am not familiar with NYCHA 2.0 Rental Demonstration.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems?
We should follow the law passed in 1968 and get ALL the money that has been set aside for public housing development. Of course, Trump’s re-election disrupts things!
How would you use your office to put pressure on landlords to make repairs and stop harassing tenants?
By standing with the tenants publicizing their misdeeds.
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? If the landlord does not provide a safe living environment, then the city should step in quickly. If a building is taken the tenants should be first in line for collective ownership.
Do you support stronger penalties against landlords that practice source of income discrimination? No
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
What other ideas do you have to address the housing crisis, and what is your strategy for accomplishing them?
Building more affordable housing, opening up spaces that are being warehoused could create more housing. Networking with like minded electeds and encouraging renters to form unions would be part of a strategy to accomplish.