Tenant protections

JGR’s 5 Point Plan to Protect Tenants

Tenants across LeFrak City, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights are facing growing pressure from rising maintenance costs, aging infrastructure, inconsistent repairs, and a lack of transparency from management. These communities represent the backbone of Queens’ middle class, with thousands of working families, seniors, and immigrants depending on stable housing. When tenant protections are weak, displacement follows and entire neighborhoods are destabilized.

We need a focused tenant protection agenda that recognizes the scale of developments like LeFrak City and provides real enforcement, real transparency, and real stability. As your next State Senator, I will fight for a comprehensive plan to protect tenants and preserve affordability in the communities that need it most.

1. LeFrak City Tenant Bill of Rights & Oversight Task Force

LeFrak City is home to thousands of residents and functions like a small city, yet tenants often feel they lack clear protections or avenues for accountability. When residents raise concerns about repairs, maintenance increases, or building conditions, the response can be inconsistent and slow. Tenants deserve transparency and a structured process to address concerns before they become crises.

I will push for a LeFrak City Tenant Protection Task Force that brings together state housing regulators, tenant leaders, legal services organizations, and local elected officials. This task force would monitor service complaints, review proposed cost increases, and ensure consistent enforcement of tenant protections. A formal Tenant Bill of Rights would establish clear standards around repairs, communication, and transparency so residents know exactly what they can expect.

2. Stronger Protections Against Excessive Maintenance Increases

Residents in LeFrak City and surrounding communities in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst are increasingly worried about sudden increases that outpace wages and fixed incomes. Seniors who have lived in these communities for decades face the possibility of being priced out of their homes due to maintenance hikes tied to capital repairs or rising operating costs. Without safeguards, families are left vulnerable to financial shocks.

I will fight for stronger state oversight of major increases, including advance notice requirements and transparency around underlying costs. We must also create hardship protections for seniors and fixed-income residents and ensure that financing tools are available to spread capital repair costs over time. Predictability and fairness must guide any cost changes so families can remain in their homes.

3. Enforce Repairs, Building Safety, and Quality of Life

Tenants in LeFrak City, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and apartment complexes like Mesa Verde in Jackson Heights consistently raise concerns about delayed repairs, aging building systems, and inconsistent maintenance. Issues like leaks, elevator outages, heating problems, and deteriorating common areas impact quality of life and safety.

Too often, residents must repeatedly file complaints before action is taken. I will push for proactive inspections in large-scale developments and stronger enforcement against chronic repair delays. We need faster response timelines for essential services like heat, hot water, elevators, and safety hazards. Tenants should not have to fight for basic living conditions. A proactive enforcement model will ensure buildings are maintained and residents are treated with respect.

4. Expand Tenant Legal Protections and Organizing Support

Tenant organizing has historically been one of the most effective tools for improving housing conditions. In developments like LeFrak City and Mesa Verde, where thousands of residents share common concerns, collective organizing can lead to meaningful change. But tenants often lack access to legal guidance, organizing resources, and clear support structures.

I will expand funding for tenant legal services and strengthen right-to-counsel protections so residents can defend their rights. I will also support tenant associations and community-based organizing to ensure residents have a voice in decisions affecting their homes. When tenants are empowered, buildings improve, conflicts are resolved faster, and communities remain stable.

5. Anti-Displacement Protections for Working Families and Seniors

LeFrak City is home to multi-generational families, essential workers, and seniors who have built their lives in Corona and surrounding neighborhoods. Rising costs and instability threaten to push these long-time residents out of the community. When displacement occurs, schools lose students, local businesses lose customers, and the social fabric of the neighborhood is weakened.

I will fight for anti-displacement protections targeted at large developments like LeFrak City, including stability programs for seniors and working families. We must expand rental assistance options, monitor displacement trends, and ensure preservation strategies prioritize keeping residents in place. Protecting tenants is about protecting the future of Queens neighborhoods and ensuring families can continue to call these communities home.

Protecting tenants in LeFrak City and across Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights is about more than housing. It’s about preserving the stability of entire communities. When families can afford to stay, seniors can age in place, and working people are not forced out, our neighborhoods remain strong, diverse, and vibrant. This five-point plan is rooted in accountability, fairness, and collaboration, ensuring tenants have real protections and a real voice. As your next State Senator, I will fight to keep Queens families in their homes and build a future where housing is stable, dignified, and within reach for everyone.