Housing is a human right. Everyone—whether they own or rent their home—should be able to afford to live in the Hudson Valley. That’s why I’m fighting to:

Pass strong tenant protections.

• The Good Cause Eviction bill would help keep people in their homes by banning evictions and large rent increases without a “good cause.” This would give tenants the right to renew their lease and challenge outrageous rent hikes.
• The Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) would help end homelessness in New York by creating a rental assistance program for those who are currently homeless or who are at risk of homelessness.
• The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) would give tenants the right of first refusal if their landlord decides to sell their building, allowing them to buy the building and turn it into a cooperative, public housing, or a permanently affordable rental property.
• Reforming and expanding rent stabilization as outlined in the Emergency Tenant Protection Act would allow more municipalities to opt into local protections for renters.
• Creating a statewide right to counsel in eviction proceedings would support tenants in getting the assistance they need to fight for their homes.

Defend homeowners

• Increasing the STAR credit and enhanced STAR credit would provide more tax relief for homeowners and streamline the application process to increase accessibility.
• Codifying the Homeownership Protection Program would provide homeownership retention services, foreclosure mitigation services, and free legal counseling for all homeowners.
• Providing grants and forgivable loans to homeowners would allow them to repair and weatherize their properties, based on Pennsylvania’s successful Whole-Home Repairs program.
• Creating a New York State Flood Insurance Association would provide homeowners with affordable flood insurance outside the private market.
• Banning foreclosures if a homeowner has applied for the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund or another program that provides federal funding for emergency mortgage assistance, so people can stay in their homes.
• Taxing the income of the wealthiest New Yorkers would shift the tax burden away from middle class homeowners and seniors who rely on fixed incomes, folks who are getting hurt by rising property taxes.

Build more truly affordable housing

• Create a statewide Social Housing Development Authority (SHDA) tasked with building and maintaining affordable housing outside the for-profit real estate market.
• Change New York’s zoning laws to allow for more affordable housing construction, especially along public transit stations.
• Regulate short-term rental websites like Airbnb and ban “vacation rentals” (whole-home units listed on Airbnb without the host living there) to free up housing for both renters and first-time homeowners, while keeping our neighborhoods from turning into unregulated hotels.
• End giveaways to corporate developers and landlords that shift the tax burden onto middle-class homeowners, such as PILOT programs and the 421-a tax break.