Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democratic Socialist who recently defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat for the nomination in New York's 13th Congressional District, has faced scrutiny over her father's real estate holdings. Public records indicate her father, Frank R. Avila, owns a condominium in Miami that he purchased in 1998 for $92,900 and is currently renting out for $1,750 per month. This situation contrasts with Chevalier's past public statements and campaign platform, which have focused on limiting market-rate housing and critiquing "corporate greed."
Chevalier has built a significant part of her political identity around advocating for renters and has expressed views that align with calls to seize properties from landlords and suspend mortgage payments. A review of her now-deleted social media accounts revealed reposted messages supporting such actions. Her campaign website emphasizes her experience as a renter, stating she understands "what it's like to watch the vast majority of each month's paycheck go towards rent," aligning her with the 88% of residents in her district who do not own homes.
Her father's Miami condo, located in the Fontainebleau neighborhood, was recently listed for rent at $1,750 per month, with a new tenant secured in June. The unit, described as a two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom townhouse-style condo, has been on the rental market intermittently since at least 2011. Similar units in the complex are now valued at approximately $375,000, a significant increase from the original purchase price. In July 2025, Frank Avila and his wife, Zoraya Avila, obtained a $190,000 mortgage on the property, due in 2055.
Chevalier has also proposed specific housing solutions, such as supporting the HOMES Act for federal social housing development and advocating for Green New Deal initiatives for public housing. When discussing homeownership, she has endorsed equity-capped models like community land trusts, which are designed to prevent unchecked appreciation that characterizes the landlord model. Her father's condo, however, operates without such restrictions.
Chevalier has previously stated that her past social media posts do not reflect her current views, telling CNN, "I have grown considerably since in the years since these tweets, and I am focused on our community and our community’s future." She did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.
Records show that Maria Chevalier Avila, Chevalier's mother, was removed from the property's title in 2016. Zoraya Avila was added to the title in 2024, prior to the couple taking out the mortgage and listing the unit for rent.