[1]Alessandra Biaggi - Democrat for State Senate
Friends —
Of the 13 people who died in our state during Hurricane Ida, 11 were
residents of basement apartments who became trapped in their homes due to
flooding and drowned.
Now, it’s estimated that at least 50,000 New Yorkers live in basement
apartments. But because they are illegal, there are no standards in place
to confirm that they are safe for use.
That means that the only way to ensure that these dwellings are safe is to
make them legal, something which the mayor should have done a long time
ago.
I am working to make basement apartments legal in New York, and to
implement standards like better drainage systems, automatic sprinklers,
and additional exits.
But I also want to note that the existence of these units is symptomatic
of a larger problem with housing in our state.
It is simply too expensive to live in New York, and zoning laws make it
too difficult to build new homes. In our district, over one-fourth of
renters spend over half their income on rent each year. Many of the
individuals who live in basement units are undocumented immigrants who are
grossly underpaid by exploitative employers.
I am working hard to advance policies that will ensure housing justice for
all. In 2019, we passed the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of
2019, which helped to provide critical protections for renters.
But our state will need a comprehensive overhaul of housing policy. In
addition to legalizing basement apartments, our state needs to build more
affordable housing, particularly units that are close to transit. That
way, everyone who wants to live in our city will be able to do so, and
safely.
All my best,
Alessandra Biaggi
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