State Assembly 82 Jonathan Soto

Website: https://www.soto4ny.com

Social media: https://twitter.com/Soto4NY https://www.instagram.com/soto4ny/

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?
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)
  It simply means that everyone deserves stable, affordable, and dignified housing. New York has the opportunity to lead with courage with a Homes Guarantee for All, and that’s what I’m fighting for.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
I have taken several actions in the past few years. I organized with faith leaders to help pass the 2019 Rent Laws, for affordable and low-income housing, as well as working with houses of worship to house the homeless.
What do you think are the most pressing Housing issues & what action would you take to address them as a state representative? (1000 characters)
Some of the most pressing Housing issues are Good Cause Eviction, stopping the privatization of NYCHA, and fighting back against gentrification.
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?
Yes
- Please explain your answer (500 characters)
  If we believe that housing is a human right, then it means that it cannot become privatized and become a commodity that can be bought and sold. Housing as a commodity leads to unaffordable housing, evictions, gentrification, and homelessness. Any actions that merely snip at the edges of the housing issue will not do much if housing is still treated as a commodity. Housing should be a resource held in common by all, otherwise by making it a commodity it means that some must go without so others can profit.
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 believe that passing Good Cause Eviction is the first piece of legislation that comes to mind. This law would provide some of the greatest protections to “soft” evictions like rent hikes, harassment, and lack of repairs.
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)
  The mission and purpose of NYCHA is that it is permanently affordable, publicly owned housing stock. To go back on that mission means that those who need housing the most will be pushed out and gentrification becoming worse.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
We need a full cleaning of house at NYCHA. We can send as much money as we want, but if corrupt individuals wield power at NYCHA, nothing will change. We can and should increase funding from all levels of government, but we also need to ensure that the money is used for NYCHA’s most pressing needs.
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 believe in naming and shaming landlords who do less than nothing for their tenants. I would love to work with Met Council to lead actions and demonstrations to force landlords to make repairs and stop harassment. Unfortunately, landlords don’t react to much else, so my office will use the most effective tactics to fight for tenants.
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)
We must as a state invest in programs like ERAP that will help tenants get up to date on backrent. While ERAP and the eviction moratorium were great tools, we must make sure that all tenants are up to date on rent before we move on from these policies.
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 tirelessly with my connections to faith leaders and housing organizers to place the necessary pressure on leadership to bring this to a vote. If this doesn’t pass this year, it’s because leadership doesn’t want it to make it to the floor so I will be prepared to take every action necessary to force it onto the floor.
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)
My office will lend any and all forms of support for tenants in my district. My district includes CoOp City, the largest social housing development in the country, and I will point to the success of CoOp City to tenants looking to purchasing their buildings.
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