Issue Position: Affordable Housing

Issue Position

It is essential that New York City remains a place that is affordable for people from all walks of life. However, a severe housing shortage has caused millions of New Yorkers to see their rents skyrocket in recent years. Many New Yorkers are only able to stay in their neighborhoods if their apartments remain rent-regulated, but the City is bleeding regulated units at an alarming pace. In his first term, Brad passed legislation to enable the preservation of 2,820 affordable units in the Penn South co-op for up to 50 years. He will continue to fight in Albany to strengthen tenant protections, repeal the laws that landlords use as tools to deregulate apartments, and restore home rule on housing issues to New York City.

SUPPORTS repeal of the Urstadt Law, which bars New York City from adopting rent limitations and protections that are more stringent or restrictive than those in State law.

SUPPORTS repeal of the "vacancy decontrol" law that creates a perverse incentive for unscrupulous landlords to evict tenants without cause in order to remove units from the rent regulation system.

SUPPORTS cracking down on landlords who overcharge rent-regulated tenants while accepting lucrative tax breaks.

SUPPORTS strengthening and expanding the Tenant Protection Unit, which was created by Governor Cuomo to proactively enforce landlord obligations to tenants and impose strict penalties for failure to comply with HCR orders and New York's rent laws.

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