The Suburban Progress Agenda

A Policy Blueprint for New York’s 17th Congressional District

Executive Summary for NY-17

This agenda isn’t just a list of policies; it saves thousands of dollars annually for the average family. By eliminating the costs of childcare and healthcare, and stabilizing the housing market, we are ensuring that the Hudson Valley remains a place where workers can thrive, seniors can age in dignity, and the next generation can afford to stay.

I. BUILD: 5 Million New Homes Across America over Ten Years, 66,000 Right Here in NY-17

The Shortage: The nation needs 5 million new housing units (66,125 in NY17) to address the need for shelter and ensure that prices stay reasonable. Let’s build all of them.

Establish a federal tax credit for new construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Cut Red Tape for Integrated Communities: Fast-track federal approvals and create tax breaks for builders if they mix incomes on new projects and implement project labor agreements (income tiers: <30% AMI, 30-80%, and 80-120%).
Direct federal investment in new housing construction, just like we did with infrastructure.

II. CAP: Stop Pricing Tenants Out of Their Homes

Cap Rent Hikes: Limit annual rent increases on all federally or state-subsidized housing units to 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower—protecting low-income tenants from price shocks and ensuring public dollars support long-term affordability. Protects over 30,000 households across Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam.
Permanently Affordable Housing: Incentivize Community Land Trusts to acquire vacant lots and foreclosures for permanently affordable housing.

III. FINANCE: Creating Generational Wealth

First-Home Cash Assistance: Up to $50,000 for first-time buyers under age 40 with household incomes <150% AMI.
Private Equity Crackdown: Aggressive regulation to stop hedge funds and private equity from outbidding local families for single-family homes.
Luxury Impact Fees: Surcharge on “luxury-only” developments (rent >30% of AMI) to fund the Housing Equity Trust.

IV. CARE: Universal Childcare from Birth to Kindergarten

The Tax on Families: Childcare costs are bankrupting families in the Hudson Valley, running tens of thousands of dollars per year per child. Our plan treats childcare as a public good, not a luxury.

12-Month Parental Leave: 6 months fully paid (up to 85% of wages), followed by 6 months of job-protected leave.
Universal Childcare & Pre-K: Tuition-free, full-day, year-round centers for ages 1 through Kindergarten.
Public School Priority: Massive federal funding increase dedicated strictly to public institutions, not private vouchers.

V. HEAL: Medicare for All

The current health system is built to maximize profits of insurance companies, big pharma, and Wall Street investors. Meanwhile, working class families face untenable financial hardship on insurance premiums and out of pocket costs.The era of the “insurance maze” is over. We must move to a single-payer, high-quality public system that treats healthcare like a human right.

Financial Immunity: $0 premiums, $0 deductibles, $0 copays.
The “Whole Person” Guarantee: Full coverage for medical, dental, vision, hearing, and mental health.
Long-Term Care: Traditional Medicare doesn’t cover elder care; our plan does, protecting the savings of NY-17 seniors.

VI. PREPARE: Climate Defense

Clean Water: Ban “forever chemicals” and block developments that immediately threaten our water supply.
Local Power: Incentivize local micro-grids and community solar to bypass monopolies and lower Con Ed bills; block data centers that drain our energy.
Green Transit & Jobs: Secure federal grants for zero-emission buses to eliminate diesel soot and create local green-energy jobs in our neighborhoods.

VII. WELCOME: Immigration with Dignity

Dismantle ICE and redirect billions to clear asylum and visa backlogs, keeping families together.
Family Unity First: End fear by banning masks on ICE agents, family separation and private, for-profit detention centers.
Create a Pathway: Create a pathway to citizenship for NY-17’s 145,000 immigrants who power our economy. Neighbors who work and pay taxes deserve a seat at the table.
Climate & Security: Launch the first Climate Displacement Visa to plan for orderly migration, protect human rights, and prevent border chaos as climate change hits.

VIII. SAFETY: Human Rights Without Boundaries

Block the Bombs: Prioritize peace and de-escalation over the business of war by ensuring that all foreign military aid strictly complies with U.S. law and international human rights standards. American tax dollars should fund our futures, not military aid that violates human rights.
Freedom & Equality: Palestinian freedom, equality, self-determination, and an end to the occupation and illegal settlements. Two nations, one homeland.

THE REVENUE PLAN: How We Pay for It

We fund this agenda by asking the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share and eliminating corporate waste.