Fighting to make NYC affordable for everyone

New York is facing an unprecedented affordability crisis. The cost of basics like rent, food, and health care are increasing dramatically and wages aren’t keeping pace. New Yorkers are struggling, forcing them to make difficult decisions about what they can afford. Whether you are a tenant, a homeowner, or a small business owner, I’m proud to stand with our state’s Senate majority as we focus on the impacts of this crisis and advance every possible measure to help alleviate the burden on working class New Yorkers. Let me tell you about some of them.

Tenants across the state are being pushed out of their homes and neighborhoods at a distressing rate by unjustifiable rent hikes. Recent statistics give us a glimpse of the severity of this crisis. One in three New York City households are spending at least half their income on rent, and the unhoused population was estimated at 92,824 individuals by November of last year. High eviction rates and homelessness make it harder for children to succeed in school, slow down our economy, and impact our collective public health.

During her State of the State, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a housing development plan that will increase the housing supply in New York City in the coming years. Building more housing is necessary, but it won’t be ready overnight. We also need solutions that will keep people in their homes today, like preserving the affordability of existing housing. It is critical that we pass two major policies for tenants: the Good Cause Eviction bill and the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP).

Good Cause will protect tenants from unjust rent hikes and retaliatory evictions, and establish basic rights for market rate tenants. HAVP will provide rent subsidies for those who need it most, by taking people out of the shelter system and into permanent housing.

For homeowners, we must include funding for New York’s Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) in the final budget. HOPP has helped countless homeowners remain in their homes, especially during financially trying times. It is in the state’s best interest to continue this supportive program for homeowners, who are primarily Black and Brown, to sustain generational wealth and keep our communities intact.

Commercial tenants, specifically small businesses, lack meaningful rights and protections. Too many small businesses are rent-burdened and operating on a month-to-month basis without any written contract, including many in my district.

On Kingsbridge Road, speculative landlords constantly threaten family-owned establishments. On this bustling business corridor, our neighbors are struggling to keep their businesses open because of rising rents, but without a lease they cannot access legal assistance or financial support.

As we welcome the transformation of the Kingsbridge Armory — a project that I am closely involved with that will become an economic engine for the Northwest Bronx — we must protect small businesses in the surrounding area from “grifting” commercial landlords who want to hike rents exorbitantly.

I am the sponsor of a bill (S.2950) to protect mom-and-pop shops by requiring property owners to provide commercial tenants with a lease so that they can plan accordingly and help their business grow. When our small businesses thrive, our communities do so as well.

I am honored to go to Albany on your behalf to fight for policies like the ones I’ve discussed in this opinion piece.

I firmly believe that these measures will uplift our communities and help them thrive. Here’s hoping that you and all our neighbors will join the efforts to make them a reality.

The author is state senator for the 33^rd district.