State Assembly 37 Juan Ardila

Website: juanardilanyc.com

Social media: @juanardilanyc @juanardilanyc

What type of housing do you currently live in?
Unregulated Rental Apt
Are you, or have you ever been, a landlord?
No
1. If yes, where & how many apts. do/did you own?
  NA
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
1. If so, how can we be assured you will have tenants’ interests in mind? (250 characters)
  N/A

Values and Vision

Do you believe housing is a human right?
Yes
- If so, what does that mean to you? (500 characters)
  I fully believe housing is a human right, not a speculative investment. In order to do this we need to implement a housing first model, such as when Salt Lake City reduced their homeless population by 91% using this approach. My district is being outpaced by gentrification which is why we need tenant protections such as Good Cause, Right to Counsel, Land Value Tax, and legalizing ADUs. While these measures wont end the housing crisis, they are steps to support New Yorkers in the immediate.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
I have supported my local tenant union with food deliveries, joining the mutual aid network, and marching for tenant rights throughout the district. In addition, in my occupation we support tenants with access to legal representation, even in housing court. I also campaigned in the previous election cycle on housing rights, legalizing ADUs, and implementing a Housing First Model in New York.
What do you think are the most pressing Housing issues & what action would you take to address them as a state representative? (1000 characters)
I believe we need to push for aggressive tenant protection measures, such as Good Cause. I believe we also need to take a safety-first approach to legalize ADUs to expand affordable housing. In addition, I believe we should push for taxes such as an ultra wealth tax, pied-a-terre tax, and a land value tax to even the playing field and maximize on expanding affordable units. I also want to ensure every tenant has a right to legal counsel when it comes to housing court as we see how challenging the process is. As the Assembly Member of a district that is struggling due to gentrification, I would do everything possible to preserve affordable housing, find creative ways to expand truly affordable units, and push for legislation that advocates for tenants and those facing housing insecurity.
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?
Yes
Do you believe that housing should be de-commodified?
Yes
- Please explain your answer (500 characters)
  Housing is a right, yet we are the only species on Earth that pays to live on this planet. As long as there exists a market in which individuals can put a price on a person’s ability to remain sheltered, we will forever have to organize and legislate our way into making sure everyone — from the houseless to the working class — can have an adequate roof over their head. Meanwhile, the real estate industry will relentlessly try to outpace our organizing with billions of dollars in resources and bought-off electeds, the most recent example being Hochul’s attempt to sweep 421a under the rug and replace it with a rebranded 485w program. In short, for housing to become a truly unalienable right within our country, we must de-commodify it.
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)
I would push for Good Cause and fight to legalize ADUs. The RPA estimates 100,000 new homes in NYC with this legalization and I believe it can create truly affordable housing for tenants.
Do you agree that all evictions are bad?
Yes
- If no, why not? (500 characters)
  Under no circumstance would I ever constitute an eviction as a good thing. My goal is to push for a housing first model because housing is a human right, not a speculative investment. In a post pandemic recovery we must ensure everyone is able to have a dignified home.
Do you support the concept of universal rent control?
Yes

Overview on Housing

Do you support the NYCHA 2.0 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and other privatization schemes?
No
1. Please explain why or why not (250 characters)
  I do not support this private partnership very simply because it creates more gentrification, displaces current tenants, and even leaves union members out of job opportunities and negotiations.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
As the Assembly Member, I will use my office to shine more light on the issues that public housing tenants are facing, even if they are outside of my district. The fact of the matter is that there will be a need for more public housing as wealth Inequality explodes in this city and state, so really every state legislator should be advocating for more state funding for NYCHA and to retrofit housing complexes to provide the jobs, sustainability and health benefits outlined in the GND for NYCHA.
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)
I would have my office personally put pressure on unscrupulous landlords by doing outreach ourselves to advocate on behalf of the tenant and provide them resources so they can obtain legal representation. On extreme cases I would be willing to even go public regarding landlords who do not support tenants to add pressure.
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 would push for tenant protection measures, advocate for a right to legal counsel for struggling tenants, extend ERAP applications/timeline, and use my office as a tool to ensure we are always putting tenants at the forefront.
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 do everything possible to ensure we are placing tenant protection measures, whether it is caucusing with other democrats, being in public opposition to the current governor, or marching with housing advocates, I want to be as supportive as possible to ensure people have a guaranteed home. We can achieve this through both boots on the ground and through policy.
Will you support ending MCIs?
Yes
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)
Education and organizing are often the biggest roadblocks to getting residents to opt-into TOPA, especially those who fear retaliation. As their state representative, I would hold regular information sessions with tenant leaders and organizations in my district that details how to fight for the right of first refusal when a building goes up for sale, and how this opportunity can be used to secure government funding to hopefully transform their building into social housing.
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?
No
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