Housing / Affordability

Soaring cost of living has put a life of prosperity out of reach for many Americans. Putting hard-earned money back into Americans’ pockets is necessary to reaffirming the American Dream.

Why it matters:

Affordability has become a foreign word to far too much of this country. Costs associated with housing, childcare, energy, and everyday expenses have continued to increase while wages have remained stagnant. The result is the erosion of the middle class, and a lot of Americans living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet.

Housing costs are one of the key drivers of a lack of affordability in America today. For example, in CD-12, co-op owners in particular carry a burden of maintenance costs and other related expenses, which can cost thousands of dollars per year. Public housing is under siege, especially the Fulton-Elliott, and Chelsea houses, who are scheduled to have 18 buildings demolished (and 300 trees cut down) against all housing residents’ wishes. Stanley-Isaac houses and Amsterdam houses need immediate review and repair from the federal government. Lowering housing costs and preserving access to affordable housing is necessary in addressing the affordability crisis.

 More must be done to lower these costs and ensure that every American has the right to flourish.

Solution(s):

• Help build coalition to support public housing, particularly the Fulton-Elliott, Chelsea Houses, Stanley-Isaacs Houses, and Amsterdam Houses
• Fight against co-op and condo maintenance increases
• Enhance tax benefits for working class families, such as expanding the EITC
• Establish new subcommittee in Congress called Food Subcommittee, which serves as watchdog for all 50 states regarding pricing and availability of food
• Support tax credits for childcare
• Provide a constituent service that helps navigate federal programs that reduce costs
• Support federal funding for affordable housing development