Nathaniel Hezekiah III identifies a real affordability problem and pledges to fight back in Albany. He supports a path to homeownership, housing assistance, and measures to help families build generational wealth.

Hezekiah supports expanding 3-K for all students statewide and a 2-K pilot, expanding the Excelsior program for college access, giving parents options including public charter schools, ensuring compliance with reduced class size in NYC, and developing trade school programs through partnerships with unions and school districts.

Hezekiah will fight to ensure Mitchell-Lama residents are not priced out, hold landlords accountable, combat rising costs, increase capital improvement support, strengthen enforcement, increase penalties for code violations, improve coordination between state and city agencies, ensure transparent reporting, support tenant organizing, and support construction of affordable rentals and co-ops through tax credits.

Hezekiah lost his father and stepfather to gun violence and will fund preventative gun violence initiatives, support community-based nonprofits, fight for HOPE grant funds, expand safe spaces for youth through clergy partnerships, advocate for a new community center, and support holistic efforts addressing root causes of violence.

Hezekiah will fight for increased state Medicaid funding to fill gaps from federal cuts, advocate for Southeast Queens representation in the State Health Insurance Program, create opportunities for people to retain SNAP benefits, and ensure access to Medicaid for special needs students.

Hezekiah plans to enhance access to capital and technical support for small businesses, enrich MWBE certification and bonding opportunities, and establish a taskforce with labor and stakeholders to address workforce changes from artificial intelligence.

Hezekiah will invest in supportive housing models that connect residents to wraparound services and increase mobile crisis intervention supportive services to meet communities where they are.

Hezekiah will work with the MTA to enhance bus routes throughout Queens and expand crosstown bus options, support responsible development with transparency and strong building standards, and ensure community investments include hiring local contractors and offering jobs and training programs.