Housing is a human right and the 9th City Council District deserves a community-driven approach to land use and permanently affordable income-based housing and homeownership opportunities. Every idea we implement must be center housing as a human right.
- Start with a comprehensive city plan that not only puts New Yorkers and their communities' needs first but is developed by New Yorkers so the needs of their communities are truly represented and prioritized. All zoning and development decisions must align with the overarching city plan and be supported by the communities impacted.
- Prioritize
- building permanently affordable income-based housing
- shifting how affordability is determined to what people can actually afford--not regional-based AMI.
- implementing programs that create a path to homeownership
- helping existing homeowners stay in their home during times of economic hardship
- Rework the city property tax system so individual homeowners are not forced out due to excessively high property taxes. This will require city elected leaders to demand a change in how our state raises and uses revenue--a shift to progressive taxation and away from incentives and breaks for the ultra-wealthy, developers, and big business.
- Use community land trusts as a solution for both affordability and public land stewardship. Our public land must remain public and for all New Yorkers.
- End privatization of public housing by investing in public housing. This will require city elected leaders to stand strong against privatization as the solution and a partnership and to demand the federal and state government provide the investment needed to repair, rebuild and maintain all public housing.
- Introduce legislation to create an HDFC taskforce in HPD to ensure that these low-income cooperatives receive the support, resources, and independent oversight they need to prevent mismanagement, maintain financial solvency, and ensure long-term affordability for HDFC shareholders.
- Enforce the existing federal, state, and city housing laws including new state rent laws. Pass legislation to provide legal counsel for all tenants in housing court and to end speculative real estate deals that take advantage of homeowners and manipulate the system.