State Assembly 65 Jasmin Sanchez

Website: jasminsanchez.us

Social media: https://twitter.com/jasminsanchezny https://www.instagram.com/jasminsanchezny/

What type of housing do you currently live in?
NYCHA
Are you, or have you ever been, a landlord?
No
1. If yes, where & how many apts. do/did you own?
  N/A
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)
  My family’s experience with redlining and urban renewal has made me an avid advocate for housing justice in NYC. Decades of urban policies had a negative impact on low income communities, communities that are mostly of color, LGBT/TGNCNB, immigrant and disabled. These disparities seep into our communities in numerous ways such as education, healthcare and labor.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
Although I did not sponsor or co-sponsor the Green New Deal for Public Housing (introduced by AOC and Sanders in 2019), I was part of the team that drafted the bill. https://twitter.com/aoc/status/1384299921054994434?s=21 This bill would unify the various sectors of labor that make up not only our city but nation.
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 the most important housing issues facing people in my district and across NYC are affordability and accountability. Rents are rising far too high above the median incomes of people in all types of communities, often driving out low-income and immigrant New Yorkers. We also need accountability, whether it’s holding government accountable for providing safe affordable housing via NYCHA and other programs or holding landlords accountable for gouging residents with rent increases or a lack of upkeep.
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 human right and because of that, we can’t continue to treat real estate as an investment for profits, but as an investment in our society. No one should be forced to live on the streets because they cannot afford rent. It is inhumane and beneath the richest city in the richest country in the world. We should always be pushing to create an environment where we are focused on people over money.
- ……………………………………………………………………………….
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 become a co-sponsor and immediate advocate for the Good Cause Eviction legislation, because it’s something I believe we can do right away.
Do you agree that all evictions are bad?
Yes
- If no, why not? (500 characters)
  N/A
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 am opposed to any privatization because it would increase the problems that I see firsthand. Any conversion will immediately strip residents of their federal section 9 protections into section 8, making them more vulnerable to higher eviction rates
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
Funding, transparency, and accountability. We must ensure that NYCHA utilizes the funds they receive from the city. When elected, I would like to be on the ethics committee so that I can hold NYCHA accountable. We should also push for public housing funds in the annual budget, similar to the excluded workers fund, reserved for the one million NYCHA tenants in NYC.
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)
Currently the NYS budget does not have a Tenants Bill of Rights. Once elected, I would work with my colleagues and organizations like Met Council to pass legislation to do so. We should also make sure that tenants have access to attorneys.
In addition, being that my background is in housing advocacy, I would have 2-3 liaisons focused specifically on housing issues.
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 will continue to fight for, and if elected, support and co-sponsor legislation to keep people in their homes. Period. We cannot further exacerbate our housing crisis by removing people from their homes, especially during a time when our economy cratered and people lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
We should invest more funds into ERAP and LRAP to ensure that residents and landlords still have access to apply for assistance during tough economic times.
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 would continue to be a co-sponsor of the legislation and use my skills and experience in organizing to ramp up the pressure from communities across New York to ensure that it is one of the top priorities for the next session.
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 believe that assisting people with education and support in the process would be a good tool for my constituents. I have been a part of many education campaigns for labor organizing in the past, so I would be a great asset to these tenants. Hosting TOPA forums to guide people through the process would also be important, because there aren’t many entities that host home ownership workshops.
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