Millions of New Yorkers rent their homes. Because of loopholes in rent stabilization, these families have to choose between safe living conditions and a rent hike -- or even worse, an eviction. Universal rent control mediates the power imbalance between tenants and landlords. It gives all renters the right to renew their lease with limited, predictable, and affordable rent increases and to organize tenants' associations in their buildings free from the fear of retaliation.

Pass Good Cause Eviction (S2892A/A5030A): Good Cause Eviction would give every renter the right to renew their lease with a limited rent increase; it would prevent landlords from evicting renters without good cause.

Eliminate Major Capital Improvements (MCIs) (S3693/A6322): Major Capital Improvement (MCI) increases, which allow landlords to pass the cost of building repairs and renovations on to renters themselves, must be eliminated. MCIs lead to unaffordable rent increases and force tenants to choose between safe living conditions and necessary building improvements. In other cases, MCIs are used as a mechanism to harass people out of their homes.

Just implementation of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act: New York State’s housing agency (HCR) does not have the tools or the political will to enforce landmark tenant protections passed in 2019. Tenants wait upwards to two years for the State to investigate rent overcharges. We must invest $500 million for tenant-centered enforcement in HCR in the State budget.

New York State needs at least 600,000 new units of social housing. Social housing is permanently affordable and democratically controlled. It is held off the speculative market through public or non-profit ownership. If fully funded, it can repair for centuries of racially motivated public and private divestment, provide supportive services to the most vulnerable communities, and take meaningful steps towards solving our homeless crisis.

Develop 20,000 Units of Supportive Housing: In 2016, Governor Cuomo pledged to create 20,000 units of supportive housing, but so far his administration has only financed a fraction of these homes. The State must fund the all 20,000 units of supportive housing units and accelerate the pace of production to meet the crisis.

Pass Home Stability Support (HSS) (S2375/A1620): HSS is a statewide rent subsidy proposal that would bridge the difference between inadequate public assistance shelter allowances and actual rents for families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Invest $3 Billion in Public Housing Across New York State: We seek deep, permanent investment in public housing from the state, along with greater democratic control by public housing residents.

Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA). TOPA would allow tenants the right to intervene in the sale, demolition or foreclosure of their building in order to convert it to permanently affordable and community controlled housing.

Solving our housing crisis will require a $10 billion expansion in the State budget. However, our current public policy -- which allows the ultra-rich to capture wealth at the very top -- makes this impossible. Our State's budget and tax policies should be used to raise revenue, redistribute wealth, and reduce inequality, and our economic development programs need to be radically re-thought and re-structured to win a #NYHomesGuarantee.

Eliminate 421a and 485a. These wasteful tax incentives cost our state upwards of $2 billion per year and are highly inefficient ways to create affordable housing. These overly generous tax incentives should be repealed.

Fight Austerity and Enact Progressive Tax Policies: The top 1% of families in New York State pay a lower share of their income in State and Local taxes than the bottom 20%. New York State must end this regressive tax code by increasing income taxes on the ultra-wealthy, passing a Pied-a-terre tax, instituting a wealth tax, and more.