IMPACCT Brooklyn urges you to read up on the issues and vote for Affordable Housing this Tuesday, November 6! Not only are midterm elections are a great opportunity to make your voice heard and make a difference in your neighborhoods and communities, but there are several races and candidates in the 2018 midterm elections that will affect affordable housing policies. We’ve made a “cheat sheet” to give you a head start on issues and candidates related to affordable housing.
The candidates for the Attorney General election are Letitia James (D) and Keith Wofford (R). During her time as a Public Advocate, James recommended loosening the criteria for affordable housing in NYC, and in 2017, a study run by her office showed that almost 40% of apartments in the Tenant Interim Lease program, a city-run program to help low-income New Yorkers become homeowners, were empty. Wofford is new to politics, and a co-managing partner at Ropes & Gray, a global firm that focuses on real estate, mergers, bankruptcy and securities litigation, and white-collar crime.
There are also three proposals on the ballot, regarding campaign finance, civic engagement commission, and community boards. Pay attention to Ballot Proposal 3: Community Boards! This proposals is intended to make NYC’s community boards more diverse, and ensure community board membership is more reflective of a neighborhood by implementing term limits on members. Supporters of the bill believe giving new voices a seat at the table will result in a community board that’s more reflective of neighborhood demographics. Opponents of the proposal believe that, without long-term board members present, board meetings will be run by developers and lawyers, who will use that to their advantage. Read more on Ballot Proposal 3 here.
The current Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul (D) are up for reelection against Marc Molinaro (R) and Julie Killian (R), and for the U.S. Senate, current Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) is up for re-election against Chele Farley, the finance chair of New York’s Republican party. Every single seat in the New York State Senate, the New York State Assembly, and all 27 of New York’s seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs, as well. Ballotpedia has a complete breakdown of these candidates and races.
Elections are November 6, 2018, and no changes will take place until elected officials are in office in early 2019. In the meantime, keep an eye on the HPD housing portal for new listings, make sure your profile and your paystubs are up-to-date, and keep checking IMPACCT Brooklyn for up-to-date news, information, and seminars regarding Affordable Housing!
