Brooklyn state Sen. Martin Dilan has accepted more money from the real estate industry since 1999 than almost any other Democrat in the senate.
Dilan has received $325,400 from real estate entities since then, which is more than any senate Democrat apart from former IDC leader Jeff Klein, according to Gothamist. Dilan has received 15 percent of his campaign donations from landlords and developers, which is almost double that of any other state senator.
Dilan will face off against democratic socialist Julia Salazar in the September 13 primary in another race pitting an established Democratic incumbent against a younger left-wing candidate. Dilan has portrayed himself as an advocate for tenants, stressing his support for measures like rent freezes and stronger penalties for abusive landlords.
His campaign donors include $84,000 from the landlord group the Rent Stabilization Association, $7,250 from Ditmas Management, $51,350 from the Real Estate Board of New York and $44,750 from Glenwood Management.
He represents district 18 in Brooklyn, which includes Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint. The gentrifying area has lost 7,111 rent stabilized units since 2007, or 21 percent of its rent stabilized housing stock.
Michael McKee, the leader of a coalition of tenant groups called Tenants PAC that has endorsed Salazar, told Gothamist he hopes this is the year Dilan is defeated.
“The ground has shifted beneath his feet,” he said. “The idea that you can be a champion of tenants and take that much real estate money, it just doesn’t make sense to Democrats anymore. It won’t work.” [Gothamist] – Eddie Small