In Congress, I will focus on:

1. Reducing the cost of rent and holding corporate landlords accountable for driving up costs that price people out of their neighborhoods

2. Making it easier for first-time homebuyers to purchase property

3. Protecting local homeowners so that they can continue to live in the communities they've been a part of

4. Expanding access to affordable housing options for local residents.

We are in the middle of a rental emergency. For years, rent prices have continued to rise, far outpacing how much money people make. Right now renters are spending nearly HALF of their income just on rent. This is unacceptable and has left many individuals and families rent burdened, disproportionately driving low-income Black and brown communities into poverty. 

Rent is too high and corporate landlords are taking advantage, in Congress I'll pass legislation that brings more funds to Chicago to build more affordable housing and reduces the price of rent.

I would also couple this with more money for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and strict federal rental standards so that big rental companies and greedy landlords are forced to maintain the livability of their properties and can’t screw renters over.

Homeownership:

In Congress, I would fight to expand the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 8 Homeownership Voucher Program and its eligibility requirements so that more first-time home buyers have the opportunity to purchase a home. This would allow folks who are eligible renters to use federal vouchers towards supporting mortgage payments and support individuals and families stuck in a constant cycle of rent.

I would also introduce federal legislation that supports current homeowners in being able to retain their homes. With the growing affordability crisis in our country and  challenges like medical debt being a leading reason why people lose their homes, we need a federal program that is able to support homeowners in times of crisis. No one should lose their home because they needed medical care or because a breadwinner in the family was abruptly laid off by a mega-corporation that doesn’t care whether we live or die.