Latoya LeGrand with Rochdale Village in the background - 1
LeGrand for the People Campaign
NY Assembly Candidate in the Southeast Queens 32nd Assembly District - Latoya LeGrand with Rochdale Village in the background
State Assembly candidate Latoya LeGrand is outlining a comprehensive plan to tackle housing affordability in Southeast Queens, focusing on reducing property taxes, lowering utility costs, and expanding access to state relief programs. Drawing from firsthand experience helping families navigate housing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, LeGrand’s proposal addresses both renters and homeowners while emphasizing long-term stability and generational wealth-building in District 32. Her campaign centers on making housing systems more accessible and ensuring residents can remain in their communities.
Latoya LeGrand Has a Real Plan to Make Housing Affordable in Southeast Queens
Queens, NY — Latoya LeGrand, candidate for State Assembly in District 32, is putting affordable housing at the center of her campaign, and she's getting specific about it. Her plan isn't a list of talking points. It comes from years of sitting across kitchen tables in South Jamaica, helping families figure out how to stay in their homes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, LeGrand worked directly with residents to navigate rental renewals, HRA applications, and government programs that most people didn't even know existed. She saw firsthand how complicated and inaccessible these systems can be and how much is at stake when families can't figure them out.
"Affordable housing is not just about rent," said LeGrand. "It's about the total cost of living. While we can't control federal interest rates, we can take action at the state level on property taxes, utility costs, and make sure families actually know about the programs designed to help them."
A Holistic Approach to Housing Affordability
LeGrand’s plan addresses both the buyer and renter markets, with a focus on long-term stability and wealth-building opportunities for families in District 32. Key priorities include:
- Reducing Property Tax Burdens: Advocating for reforms and expanded relief programs to make homeownership more sustainable, particularly for long-time esidents and seniors.
- Lowering Utility Costs: Supporting legislative and regulatory action to push back against rising energy rates and hold providers like Con Edison accountable, ensuring escalating utility bills do not overburden residents.
- Expanding Awareness of State Programs: Increasing outreach and accessibility for critical programs such as:
- Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE)
- Veterans Property Tax Exemptions (available to those who served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard)
- Supporting First-Time and Intergenerational Homebuyers: Creating pathways for families to purchase and retain homes across generations.
Why It's Personal
LeGrand isn't describing these problems from the outside. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Legrand worked directly with residents in South Jamaica, assisting families with rental renewals, navigating Human Resource Administration (HRA) applications, and providing hands-on technical support. She's been in the room helping a grandmother figure out whether she still qualifies for an exemption, sitting with a young family trying to understand why their HRA application got denied, and walking someone through paperwork they'd never seen before.
"I've sat with families trying to keep a roof over their heads," she said. "I've seen how confusing and inaccessible these systems can be. That's why this plan is not just policy, it's personal."
The Bigger Picture
Queens residents are being squeezed from every direction right now. Rents are up. Property taxes are high. Utility bills keep climbing. And too often, the programs designed to help don't reach the people who need them most because they're buried in bureaucracy or never properly communicated to communities like Southeast Queens.
LeGrand's approach treats housing affordability as what it actually is: an ecosystem. Monthly rent or mortgage is just one piece. Taxes, utilities, and access to relief programs are all part of the equation, and a real solution has to address them all.
"For District 32, affordability means dignity, stability, and the ability to build a future," said LeGrand. "That's what I'm fighting for."
