Phara Souffrant Forrest (Incumbent) - NYS Assembly District 57

Why are you running and why are you the best candidate for tenants?

First and foremost, I'm a tenant myself, and I will always stand with the housing movement. I was elected in 2020 as a champion for tenants rights after fighting to win the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act. Before I ran, I was the president of my building's tenant association. In my first term, I fought for the eviction moratorium, Good Cause Eviction, and HAVP, and my office has helped hundreds of tenants access rent arrears through ERAP. I am running to continue the fight for working-class tenants in Central Brooklyn and throughout the state. I have deep relationships with tenant groups in my district that have and will continue to shape my work as a legislator.

What are the top three priorities of your campaign?

My top three priorities are housing, healthcare, and criminal justice. When we talk about "public safety," we need to talk about people having a home where they feel safe that they can return to without fear of eviction and harassment. We need to talk about universal healthcare so that people get the medical care they need. That's why I have been a champion of Good Cause Eviction and HAVP, as well the New York Health Act and Fair Pay for Home Care. And I'm very proud that in my first year in the legislature, I passed a transformative parole reform bill that helped bring thousands of people out of the carceral system and back to their communities. I want to build on that by passing my Treatment Not Jail bill to improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment.

How do you define affordable housing?

Affordable housing is typically defined as 30% of your income. But my definition of affordable housing is also holistic. We need lots of affordable housing so that it's widely accessible. It's not enough to have an affordable apartment if you won't be able to find another one. We need affordable housing in a variety of different sizes, so that young families and single grandparents all have a place to live. Affordable housing should be close to jobs, so you're not spending your whole paycheck on a long commute. And it should be in good conditions, so you're not faced with health conditions like asthma or lead poisoning that are exacerbated by poor housing.

What do you consider the most important issue facing New York State in terms of housing supply and affordable housing, and how would you address it?

There is no question that New York State has an affordable housing crisis, and we need more truly affordable housing. The problem is that most of the new housing is getting built by developers who put profit over the needs of people. I want to see new social housing getting developed by community land trusts, tenant-led organizations, and ultimately by the state so we remove the profit motive from the question of keeping people housed. I'm excited to work with my colleagues in the legislature to develop a plan for publicly controlled, green social housing.

If you had the power to enact one change to our rent and eviction protection laws, what would it be?

One of my top priorities this year was passing good cause eviction, because I believe every tenant deserves the right to remain in their home. As a rent-stabilized tenant myself, I know how valuable that lease renewal is. I will keep fighting to pass this basic and fundamental protection!

If elected, what services and resources will you commit to help tenants organize and receive timely repairs?

My office currently devotes lots of staff resources to helping tenants organize. We have supported tenants in forming tenant associations, taking their landlords to court, going on rent strike, and engaging in bigger fights like challenging the rent guidelines board's proposed increases. I and my staff believe deeply in the power of organizing and we will continue to host regular canvasses in the district, host know-your-rights workshops and organizing trainings, and help tenants fight for better conditions.

The tenant leaders and staff at Tenants & Neighbors are predominantly Black and Brown women, and this is not just coincidence. Because of centuries of structural racism and ongoing discrimination in the housing market, people of color are far more likely than white Americans to face evictions and experience homelessness in the United States today. What is your plan to remedy these injustices and promote housing stability for communities of color?

My district is a historically black district, but years of gentrification and speculation have pushed out many black working-class tenants. The political establishment has been complicit in supporting that gentrification. Black mothers like myself are among the most likely to face eviction. I believe that in addition to organizing for desperately needed legislation like good cause eviction, HAVP, and expanding the Right to Counsel, we also need to uplift and support the black women who have been leaders in the housing struggle for many years.