State Assembly 65 Illapa Sairitupac

Website: illapa.nyc

Social media: https://twitter.com/illapa4ny https://instagram.com/illapa4ny

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?
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)

Values and Vision

Do you believe housing is a human right?
Yes
- If so, what does that mean to you? (500 characters)
  Nowhere in America is the housing crisis more deeply felt than right here in New York. Nearly one hundred thousand New Yorkers are unhoused. 4 million unregulated tenants in New York face unconscionable rent increases and retaliatory evictions. Housing is no longer affordable or accessible. This is why a major focus of my campaign is Good Cause Eviction Legislation. All evictions are bad evictions. At a minimum, everyone should have access to safe, quality, and permanently affordable housing.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
As a renter in Assembly District 65, I’ve actively organized in support of the Chinatown Working Group plan and against displacement of my neighbors. Our district contains some of the last working class neighborhoods in lower Manhattan and we need stronger protections to ensure they continue to have stable housing. Every week, my campaign volunteers canvass for Good Cause, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase act, and the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity act.
What do you think are the most pressing Housing issues & what action would you take to address them as a state representative? (1000 characters)
New Yorkers are experiencing unconscionable rent increases and evictions, and are in need of lasting tenant protections. Nearly 100,000 New Yorkers are experiencing homelessness. Public housing is in disrepair. As an organizer, I’ve seen the conditions my neighbors live with firsthand: broken elevators, mold, lack of heat and hot water. We must tax the rich to fund NYCHA, increase its operating budget and eliminate the backlog of repairs.
I support Good Cause Eviction legislation that will give unregulated tenants a right to remain in their homes and to organize without fear of retaliation. I also support TOPA, as a means to empower tenants to take control of their homes. I am endorsed by Salazar and Mitaynes, lead sponsors of these bills.
The Housing Access Voucher Program provides rental assistance to those already homeless and those most at risk of becoming homeless without leaving out undocumented people. We must honor commitments to supportive housing development.
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)
  Decommodification means housing that is collectively owned and democratically controlled by residents. It is held as a social good, rather than as a vehicle for private profit or wealth accumulation through housing markets. It allows for the transfer of urban land wealth from developers/private financial institutions to community residents. It prevents competition between residents for quality, affordable housing. It increases community stability and resilience. We must be careful though to ensure the financing of such projects preserves truly affordable housing options for extremely low incomes. This is the only way to make housing a human right.
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)
Good Cause Eviction. I’ve dealt with housing instability my entire life and so I know how transformational this bill will be. Protecting New York’s unregulated tenants from unfair rent increases and retaliatory evictions is a must. It will also preserve long term housing affordability in New York. By reducing landlords power to retaliate against tenants, it will foster a wave of organizing that will improve living conditions and empower the tenant movement statewide.
Do you agree that all evictions are bad?
Yes
- If no, why not? (500 characters)
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’m against private ownership/management of public housing. NYCHA properties – built by the public for the public – must remain in public hands. RAD privatizes management of NYCHA’s housing in exchange for repairs, increasing risks for tenants.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
Luxury towers overshadow public housing projects left in disrepair by decades of disinvestment. I’ve spoken to my neighbors and I’ve seen NYCHA’s deplorable conditions. Hurricane Ida and Sandy demonstrated that 10,000 NYCHA residents in my district are at increased risk of flooding & other climate hazards. Once elected I will continue to organize with NYCHA residents, and fight for meaningful climate laws. I am committed to fighting to increase taxes on the rich to support and fully fund 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)
When I was recruited to run for this seat I thought a lot about what I’d like to do differently. Too often legislators run on popular issues and then sit out important fights in Albany. Our campaign is already providing an approximation of constituent services around housing issues by connecting tenants with organizations such as BSTA & CAAAV as part of our canvassing operation and we will continue that organizing operation after we’re elected.
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)
Real solutions require deep investment. Good Cause Eviction will ensure that unregulated renters can get access to things like the Tenant Safe Harbor Act. I will fight for rental assistance in the form of ERAP, and the permanent Housing Access Voucher Program, and transition those without shelter to stable housing. I’ll fight for thousands of units of tenant-controlled housing shielded from the private market, a social housing acquisition fund, and the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase act.
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 know the best solutions are community informed and I plan to continue to frequently canvass my district after our campaign ends. I will also facilitate town halls, community meetings, and other forums to pull together organizers, tenants, and advocates. I will craft strategies in partnership with them. I will leverage the power of my office to draw needed attention to the issue– convening hearings, engaging the media, and applying pressure to other electeds.
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)
I will fight to pass TOPA and make it law. Once enacted, I will work to do public awareness campaigns about the bill so tenants know it is an option; my office will also be a resource and a source of technical assistance for tenants who seek to utilize their TOPA rights.
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