State Senate 32 Cordell Cleare

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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)
What type of action have you taken in the past around issues of housing justice? (500 characters)
I have introduced legislation to replace units of affordable housing taken away by eminent domain, destroyed in fires, vacated or for any other reason. I started my career in public service as a Tenant Advocate and as Chair of the NYC Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, where I took on the big landlords and helped pass the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, forcing landlords to remove hazardous lead paint that was crippling our children.
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 want to ensure that tenants have a voice at the table and strengthen protections against unscrupulous landlords, fully fund NYCHA repairs so residents can live comfortably and with dignity, extend the eviction moratorium until at least the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and make sure our neighbors aren’t pushed out of their homes. While holding bad faith developers accountable, we also need to work with local and community developers to expand more units of deeply affordable housing.
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)
  I believe that de-commodified housing would protect and strengthen tenants’ rights, and better curb the gains of greedy landlords and developers. I will always do what I can to protect tenants by preventing no-fault evictions and investing in public housing that is safe and effectively repaired and maintained. Public housing is the true affordable housing and it must be preserved, maintained and improved for our constituents. The power should be on the side of the tenants, not on the side of bad-actor developers.
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)
The Good Cause Eviction bill.
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)
  We must protect NYCHA, keeping it public and listening to what the tenants have to say. I oppose RAD and any other scheme to give away our affordable public housing.
NYCHA has suffered from chronic underfunding, neglect, and disrepair. What do you see as the best strategies to rectify these problems? (500 characters)
As Housing Chair of the BPHA Caucus in Albany, I am fighting for fair and affordable housing and I am working to build a city where everyone has a safe and dignified place to live and grow. That means building more senior and supportive housing, preserving affordable housing, passing Good Cause Eviction, fully funding NYCHA and keeping it public, and so much more.
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)
We need to fully fund NYCHA, fully fund repairs needed, and improve and streamline the systems for reporting problems like water and heating outages.
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 support increasing funding for the Emergency Rental Assistance program and making sure it is accessible through the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery period, as well as legislation like the Good Cause Eviction bill.
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 with my colleagues to ensure it gets passed and garner as much support for the bill as possible.
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 make information accessible to constituents and support, sponsor and co-sponsor legislation to support tenants opting 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?
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