Affordability = Income + Housing
|
Affordability = Income + Housing
|
Affordability = Income + Housing
|
Affordability = Income + Housing
Affordability = Income + Housing | Affordability = Income + Housing | Affordability = Income + Housing | Affordability = Income + Housing
Income
More Skills. More Pay. Better Jobs.
You can't budget your way out of poverty. You can't coupon your way to financial security.
Real affordability comes from earning enough to live—not just survive. The cost of living keeps rising, but for too many families in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights, wages have stayed flat.
I'm fighting for policies that grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out—policies that create good-paying local jobs, build career pathways, and ensure working people can actually build wealth in the community they call home.
Community Hiring Laws
When Albany invests in infrastructure, schools, or development projects in our district, those jobs should go to people who live here—not out-of-state contractors who take the money and leave.
What this looks like:
Requiring public projects to hire locally with family-sustaining wages
Prioritizing businesses that commit to hiring from the community
Ensuring construction, maintenance, and service jobs go to 56th District residents first
Creating accountability mechanisms so promises turn into paychecks
Why it matters: Community hiring doesn't just create jobs—it builds wealth that stays local, strengthens small businesses, and ensures public dollars benefit the public.
Career Pathways & Workforce Training
Not everyone has a college degree. Not everyone needs one. But everyone deserves a shot at a good job with real advancement opportunities.
What this looks like:
Expanding apprenticeship programs in construction, healthcare, tech, and green energy
Supporting skills training for young people and adults looking to change careers
Partnering with unions, community colleges, and local employers
Investing in STEM education and vocational programs in our schools
Why it matters: Career pathways mean you don't need a four-year degree to earn a living wage. They mean young people can see a future here—and adults can build new skills without going into debt.
Supporting Small Businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create jobs, anchor neighborhoods, and keep wealth circulating locally. But too often, they're shut out of contracts, buried in red tape, and starved of resources.
What this looks like:
Fighting for grants, low-interest loans, and technical assistance
Ensuring local businesses can compete for government contracts
Supporting BIDs and merchant associations
Reducing regulatory barriers that hurt small operators
Advocating for commercial rent stabilization
Why it matters: When small businesses thrive, neighborhoods thrive. Jobs stay local. Dollars circulate. Communities build wealth together.
Raising Wages, Not Just Creating Jobs
A job isn't good if it doesn't pay enough to live on. I'm fighting to raise the minimum wage, strengthen worker protections, and ensure people aren't just working—they're earning.
What this looks like:
Supporting living wage standards that reflect the actual cost of living in NYC
Fighting wage theft and employer exploitation
Strengthening labor protections for gig workers and contract employees
Ensuring overtime, sick leave, and fair scheduling practices
Why it matters: Work should pay. If you're working full-time, you shouldn't be broke. Period.
The Bottom Line:
Because affordability starts with what you earn.When income goes up, families have breathing room. They can save. They can invest in their kids' education. They can stay rooted instead of being pushed out. That's the Brooklyn I'm building: where work pays, opportunity is real, and economic power stays local.