State Senate 21 David Alexis

Website: https://www.davidforbk.com

Social media: @david4bk @david4bk

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)
  Housing is a human right means that everyone is entitled to a safe, dignified home that they can remain in long-term. We are failing to uphold this right. New Yorkers are drowning from out-of-control rising rents, struggling to find safe and affordable housing, and facing harassment from their landlords. This is especially true for low-income, Black and Brown people, who face additional housing struggles due to the legacy of redlining and other longstanding inequities.
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
As an activist in my community, I have been a vocal proponent of Good Cause Eviction and other legislation to advance housing justice in New York State. The housing crisis faced by so many of my neighbors was a major motivator of my decision to run for office and I will make housing justice a central aspect of my work as a State Senator.
What do you think are the most pressing Housing issues & what action would you take to address them as a state representative? (1000 characters)
Under a system that makes shelter a commodity, increasingly only those who have wealth can even afford housing. We must respond to this crisis with a movement of tenant power that fights to ensure that housing is a human right and not a commodity. I will support the tenant movement every step of the way.
Good Cause Eviction is the top priority of my campaign and I will fight tirelessly until it is passed. I will also fight to ensure that statewide Right to Counsel is enacted and fully funded so that every tenant facing eviction has a right to a lawyer.
New York City has a rich public housing tradition that produced dwellings that have housed thousands of New Yorkers for generations. I will advocate to fully fund sorely needed repairs and improvements to NYCHA housing and fight to ensure that NYCHA is controlled by the tenants who live there. I will also support tenant-owned housing cooperatives and community land trusts, and advocate for pro-tenant legislation.
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)
  The housing crisis in New York is a function of capitalism. Under a system that makes shelter a commodity, increasingly only those who have wealth can even afford housing. We must respond to this crisis with a movement of tenant power that fights to ensure that housing is a human right and not a commodity. Further, we must build more social housing to ensure that everyone has access to a safe, affordable, stable home. If additional funding is needed, a tax on the rich can be used to raise funds to provide for new social housing, as well as for further repairs and improvements to existing NYCHA housing.
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 is the top priority of my campaign, and I will fight tirelessly until it is passed.
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
- Please explain why or why not (250 characters)
  I oppose RAD because it further privatizes housing when we should be doing exactly the opposite: fighting for social housing that is owned by the people, not by private developers or corporate landlords.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
I believe that the expansion of public housing funding, repairing existing public housing, and ultimately expanding the public housing stock must be made a priority in New York State. Given the budget surpluses available to New York State after ARP money came in, I believe we should put those funds towards long-overdue repairs and improvements to NYCHA housing over tax breaks or dubious economic development schemes.
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)
My office will support tenants both by providing constituent services and referrals to help tenants obtain necessary repairs and fight harassment from their landlords, and by advocating for legislation to protect tenants. I will also fight for statewide Right to Counsel and the expansion of New York City’s existing Right to Counsel program so that tenants will have a right to counsel in HP cases to address repairs & harassment in addition to eviction cases.
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 fight to fully fund the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) by requesting additional federal funds and appropriating state funds to meet any remaining need. Because ERAP currently pays only 15 months of rental arrears, I will also advocate for supplemental rental arrears assistance programs for tenants whose arrears exceed that amount. I will also support the expansion of programs like FHEPS to provide ongoing rental subsidies to those who need them.
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)
Good Cause Eviction is and would be my number one legislative priority. I would immediately cosponsor the Good Cause Eviction bill. I would partner with tenant-led groups of all sizes on rallies, media outreach, and other efforts to build public support for Good Cause. At the same time, I would talk to homeowners in my district to show them that Good Cause Eviction will not put them at risk, despite what they may have heard from the real estate industry.
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 for the passage of TOPA. Once it is enacted, I will make my office available as a resource to tenants considering opting into TOPA, and will engage in targeted outreach to tenants to inform them of the opportunity to opt into TOPA.
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?
No
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