State Assembly 28 Andrew Hevesi

Website: hevesi4assembly.com

Social media: @AndrewHevesi n/a

What type of housing do you currently live in?
Own a co-op, condo or private home
Are you, or have you ever been, a landlord?
No
1. If yes, where & how many apts. do/did you own?
Does your campaign accept contributions from real estate developers (including related individuals), corporate lobbyists, organizations that participate in the carceral system, and/or landlords?
Yes
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
1. If so, how can we be assured you will have tenants’ interests in mind? (250 characters)
  I recently served as the Chair of the Social Services Committee & worked primarily on the homeless crisis. I understand the crucial importance of housing stability for tenants. I am proud of my 17 year record of voting for tenants rights

Values and Vision

Do you believe housing is a human right?
Yes
- If so, what does that mean to you? (500 characters)
  That all New Yorkers have the right to a safe place to live.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
My staff and I created and organized hundreds of elected officials and advocacy groups to support the Home Stability Support (HSS) rent supplement. HSS (created with the Coalition for the Homeless, the Legal Aid Society, the Empire Justice Center, and the NYS Coalition against Domestic Violence) is the basis for several active state rent supplements that were created subsequently. I also led the fight in the legislature that catalyzed the creation of 6,000 units of supportive housing.
What do you think are the most pressing Housing issues & what action would you take to address them as a state representative? (1000 characters)
Enact a state funded rent supplement that pays at the market rate set by the federal government (even though the standard is lower than I’d like) because it automatically increases annually. This is the quickest way to stop huge numbers of our neighbors from losing their existing housing.
Have you or anyone close to you (relation, friend, etc) been evicted or been threatened with eviction?
Yes
Have you ever had to fight a landlord for repairs or faced harassment?
No
Do you believe that housing should be de-commodified?
No
- Please explain your answer (500 characters)
  I do not believe it is sustainable and it could lead to unintended consequences. I worry that it may lead to lower quality housing stock, under development and disinvestment in housing overall. I am open to hearing workable solutions and MET Council’s position on this proposal and look forward to working together to increase housing options for all New Yorkers no matter their income, zip code, personal, or work histories. I thank you for the opportunity to consider such critically important measures.
Do you believe in publicly owned and controlled housing?
Yes
What is one rent and/or eviction protection you would enact if you had the opportunity? (500 characters)
The Good Cause Eviction bill
Do you agree that all evictions are bad?
Yes
- If no, why not? (500 characters)
Do you support the concept of universal rent control?
No

Overview on Housing

Do you support the NYCHA 2.0 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and other privatization schemes?
No
- Please explain why or why not (250 characters)
  NYCHA should not be privatized
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
NYCHA is a federally funded city administered program. New York State can help, but it is the responsibility of the federal government and New York City to undo the underfunding, neglect and disrepair.
Do you support setting aside 15% of all units created in new state-subsidized affordable housing projects for homeless families and individuals?
Yes
How would you use your office to put pressure on landlords to make repairs and stop harassing tenants? (500 characters)
Patterns of tenant harassment should be considered in any attempt by a landlord to access government resources, and count against or stop them from getting assistance. In addition, my staff and I regularly push landlords to make repairs and end harassment if we are made aware of it.
Do you support regulating the 300,000 deregulated rent-stabilized apartments?
Yes
Will you support increased funding and oversight hearings of DHCR’s Office of Rent Administration to ensure timely responses?
Yes
How will you ensure people who owe back rent due to COVID are not evicted and do not continue to owe money? (500 characters)
I have voted for several moratoriums on rental payments and my staff and I will continue to help constituents with the application for relief programs to stave off evictions.
Would you support financial and criminal penalties against landlords and brokers that deny a prospective tenant housing based on using a tenant blacklist?
Yes

Current Bills and Campaigns

Do you support Good Cause Eviction Protections?
Yes
If Good Cause is not passed this session, what will you do to ensure it gets passed in 2023? (500 characters)
I will work withe the lead sponsors to build consensus among colleagues that are not currently supportive.
Will you support ending MCIs?
No
Will you commit to fully funding the Housing Access Voucher Program?
Yes
Do you support the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA)?
Yes
How will you support tenants in your district opting into TOPA? (500 characters)
By making information about the program available to my constituents, and helping constituents avail themselves of the program.
Do you support the move to legalize basement apartments and ADUs?
Yes
Do you support tenants’ right to collective bargaining?
Yes
Do you support 421a or Gov Hochul’s proposed 485w?
Yes
Do you support fully funding the Excluded Workers fund?
Yes
Do you support the “Excluded No More” bill?
Yes
Are you committed to making sure every tenant in the state has free access to counsel in Housing Court?
Yes
Will you commit to fully funding statewide Right to Counsel in 2023’s budget?
Yes