Our Housing Plan

STATEMENT: Protecting Our Homes and Our Future

We are a true Metropolis and a Global City, but the strength of New York is only as reliable as the stability of our neighborhoods. In District 38, we represent the "New American Neighborhood," a rich mix of cultures and religions living and working together. Yet, the challenges we face are growing more complex, ranging from the over-taxation of our properties to the systemic underfunding of critical repairs for our NYCHA buildings.

The following is the history, present-day conditions, and the technical solutions we need to move forward together.

The Current Crisis: Protecting Homeowners

Even now, our most vulnerable neighbors—especially our elderly—are losing their homes to rising costs and predatory practices. Thousands of residents are discovering liens have been placed on their properties without their knowledge.

• The Architect’s Fix: We must institute a system of transparency where homeowners are notified immediately of any legal or financial actions against their property.

• Automatic Relief: I will fight to make the STAR/SCHE home tax reductions automatic at age 65. Our seniors should not have to navigate a mountain of bureaucracy just to stay in the homes they spent a lifetime building.

NYCHA and Public Housing: Ending Benign Neglect

For too long, our public housing residents have dealt with "benign neglect" regarding essential repairs and infrastructure.

• Accountability in Maintenance: Just as I have assisted non-profits in managing health and wellness programs, I will apply that same oversight to NYCHA. We need an audit of where repair funds are going and why they aren't reaching the buildings that need them most.

Neighbors Over Politics

In our district, we have shown that we can work together regardless of our political affiliations. I have seen a Progressive neighbor help a Conservative neighbor with taxes, and a Republican neighbor plow a Democrat's driveway. I’ve done my part by repairing front doors for both.

This spirit of cooperation is what I will take to Albany. It is time to move past the old platform terms and platitudes that no longer serve us. We are neighbors, and neighbors help each other out.

I am Rubén Cruz, and I am dedicated to being the leader who stays, the leader who works, and the leader who protects our homes.

Housing History: From Tenements to the "Projects"

New York City recently celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2025, marking four centuries since Peter Minuit purchased the land from Native Americans in 1625. While the city is a global metropolis, it remains an "unfinished project," and nowhere is that more visible than in our housing infrastructure.

The Tenement Era

The evolution of our current landscape began in the 1850s, moving from single-family homes to the high-rise towers that define our skyline today. However, that growth came with a cost. Even today, you can find "quaint" apartments with bathtubs in the kitchen or windows to nowhere. In truth, these were remnants of tenements that were poorly constructed and poorly ventilated, contributing to devastating health conditions and high mortality rates for working-class New Yorkers.

The Rise of NYCHA (1934)

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) was created in 1934 under Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia as a bold model for public success. In those early years, it was a "gold standard" for living:

• Rapid Maintenance: Funding and staff were plentiful; when a tenant called for a repair, it was fixed immediately.

• The "Selection" Reality: While successful, the early NYCHA screened out many of the most vulnerable. Applicants were often rejected if they were single mothers, had irregular work histories, or even lacked enough furniture.

• Demographic Shift: At its inception, public housing—then known simply as "The Projects"—was a model primarily serving white residents.

The Break-and-Repair Cycle (1960s–1980s)

By the late 1960s, a wave of political activism forced NYCHA to relax its selection process, opening doors to New Yorkers of all backgrounds who were in desperate need of stable housing. It was a time of great social upheaval, not unlike the challenges we face today.

However, as the demographics shifted, the investment dwindled:

• Reduced Funding: Significant funding was slashed, leading to a decline in maintenance and security.

• The "Break-and-Repair" Cycle: Vandalism, crime, and the "break-and-repair cycle" took hold—elevators were vandalized, and mailboxes were broken into for paper checks.

• The Stigma: By the 1980s, the term "The Projects" had unfortunately become synonymous with fear and danger rather than the community success it was designed to be.

The Path Forward

As your Community Architect, I recognize that housing is the thread that connects our education, health, and transportation systems. We cannot allow our current residents to live in a state of "benign neglect" that mirrors the tenement conditions of the past. We must learn from this history to restore NYCHA to its original promise of safety and dignity for every neighbor.

For more insight into the background of public housing, I recommend:

• The Rise and Fall of New York Public Housing: An Oral History

• A Brief History of Affordable Housing in New York City

The State of Housing Today: Protecting Our "Castle"

Our home is our castle and our land is our business. New York remains a global beacon, home to people of more nations than any other city in the world. However, the dream of homeownership in Queens is under threat from rising costs and a system that prioritizes bureaucracy over neighbors.

The Property Tax Burden

Homeowners in Queens are shouldering a disproportionate share of the city's financial needs.

• The Queens Gap: While the median property tax nationwide is approximately $1,917, the median tax paid in Queens is about $2,914.

• The Cost of Living: We currently pay over 30% more in property taxes than the rest of the country, making it increasingly difficult for working families to maintain their roots in the district.

Seniors and Hidden Liens

The most vulnerable members of our community are often targeted by a lack of transparency in our legal system.

• Predatory Liens: Currently, there is no law requiring a third party to notify you before putting a lien on your property. Thousands of residents are discovering these "hidden" threats to their ownership far too late.

• Barriers to Relief: Programs like STAR and SCHE provide vital tax reductions for seniors, but many are unaware of these benefits or find the application process prohibitively complex.

The Crisis in NYCHA

Public housing should be a safe harbor, but for many in District 38, it has become a struggle for basic dignity.

• The Repair Backlog: NYCHA currently faces a staggering $32 billion backlog in repairs.

• Quality of Life: Residents deal with a daily reality of failing heat, leaks, vermin, and broken elevators. The constant threat of privatization adds a layer of uncertainty to an already fragile living situation.

Rubén’s "Architect" Solutions

• Automatic STAR/SCHE Enrollment: I will fight to make tax reductions for seniors automatic at age 65. We shouldn't make our elders "prove" they deserve to stay in their homes every year.

• Mandatory Lien Notification: I will introduce legislation that mandates immediate, certified notification for any homeowner facing a lien.

• Auditing the Backlog: I will treat the NYCHA repair crisis like the technical project it is—auditing the $32 billion backlog to ensure District 38 residents see actual results, not just empty promises.

In our district, we know that neighbors help neighbors. It is time for a representative in Albany who treats your home with the same respect you do.

The 10/10 Proposition: A Blueprint for Neighborhood Wealth

The one thing that is undeniably ours is our land. It is our responsibility to govern that land for the people who live on it. My 10/10 Proposition is a technical solution to a generational crisis—ensuring that as our city grows, our neighbors aren't pushed out.

1. The 10/10 Mandate: Housing & Business Stability

We must end the "warehousing" of the poor and the displacement of our local entrepreneurs.

• Residential 10%: 10% mandatory affordable housing for all developments (old and new) with ten or more units.

• Commercial 10%: 10% mandatory affordable business rentals for all commercial buildings to protect the "soul" of our neighborhood storefronts.

• Mandatory Occupancy: We must stop "Ghost Town" syndrome. I will incentivize property owners to fill vacant units and storefronts rather than leaving them empty to manipulate market prices.

2. Ending "Modern Loan Sharking" & Junk Fees

In 2026, we are seeing interest rates and rent hikes that mirror the predatory "loan sharking" of the past.

• The 30% Usury Cap: I will fight to extend New York Usury laws to include rents, leases, and mortgages. Rent or lease increases of more than 30% based on "market rates" is profiteering, plain and simple.

• The War on Junk Fees: I am coming after the bank, ATM, and utility fees that act as a hidden tax on the working class.

3. Homeowner Protection & The Lien Transparency Act

The "About Me" story of the senior defrauded by a $60,000 solar panel lien is not an isolated incident.

• Mandatory Notification: It must be illegal to place a lien on a property without immediate, certified notification to the owner.

• Credit Restoration: I will introduce legislation requiring credit agencies to freeze the impact of a lien until its status is finalized and restore credit scores in cases of confirmed fraud.

• Automatic STAR/SCHE: We will eliminate the bureaucracy for our elders by making property tax reductions automatic at age 65.

4. NYCHA: From "Projects" to Homeownership

NYCHA currently faces a $32 billion repair backlog, and the "break-and-repair" cycle is failing our neighbors.

• The $1 Homeownership Plan: The city has sold buildings to arts organizations for $1. I propose doing the same for NYCHA residents. By allowing residents to own their apartments for $1, we instantly create real wealth and equity for families who have lived there for generations.

• Resident-Led Repairs: We should use union labor and hire NYCHA residents to perform the $32 billion in backlogged repairs—keeping the money and the skills within the community.

• Integrated Safety: I propose making one apartment available free of charge to a police officer in every NYCHA building. When we live, work, and learn together, we are safer together.

5. Local Control: Repealing the Urstadt Law

"Our City, Our Rules." The Urstadt Law is a relic that prevents New York City from enforcing stronger rent regulations without state approval. I will lead the fight in Albany to repeal this law and return housing authority to the people of NYC.

6. Neighborhood Infrastructure & The AMI Paradox

• Fixing the AMI: The "Area Median Income" currently includes wealthy counties like Westchester and Rockland, which inflates "affordable" rates beyond what District 38 can afford. We need a Queens-specific AMI that reflects our actual reality.

• Sanitation & Potholes: Clean streets are a health requirement. I will fight to restore full sanitation funding, bring back high-capacity trash cans, and ensure our streets are free of potholes.

• The Parking Permit Solution: I propose a low-cost permitting system to allow homeowners to create safe, tasteful parking alternatives on their property to relieve our congested street parking.

The Architect's Vision

Housing, education, and health are all interrelated. COVID-19 remade how we govern, and it provided a unique opportunity to make the changes we’ve always needed. I am Rubén Cruz, and I am asking for your vote to build a neighborhood where we all can afford to stay.