PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a better plan to address the housing crisis than those currently in power, some of his supporters have said.

The candidate officially exited the Democratic primary and announced plans to run as an independent at an event in Philadelphia on Monday.

Kennedy’s skepticism of political elites and populist economic messaging is what resonated most with many attendees.

But his controversial stance on vaccines and alleged anti-Semitic comments about the nature of Covid-19 have drawn the ire of many Beltway commentators.

HOUSING CRISIS

“I’ve sat at kitchen tables in Pennsylvania with parents working every hour that God gives them to afford a home of their own, only to get (outbid) by a hedge fund with a cash offer at the last minute,” the candidate said during his speech.

That’s why he’s drafted a policy that would make home ownership more affordable for many families.

“As far as the housing crisis goes, I know he’s talked about the three percent loans backed by Uncle Sam,” Brooke Hendrickson, 62, told The U.S. Sun.

He’s one of several hundred people who came to see Kennedy speak.

The proposal would allow first-time single-family homebuyers to borrow money at an interest rate of just three percent, which is less than half of where rates currently sit.

“It’s better than BlackRock buying them up,” Hendrickson said.

That company, and other investment firms like Vanguard and State Street, have snatched up thousands of homes in recent years.

Many of those residences have been turned into rental properties, which have become increasingly unaffordable as monthly housing costs continue to skyrocket.

These investment firms also regularly undercut smaller potential buyers, including Kennedy supporter Steve Colethier, 65.

He experienced this firsthand while trying to purchase an Airbnb property.

“My son lives out in Ohio, and we were looking to buy this building that was very close to his house,” Colethier told The U.S. Sun.

“We had the highest bid by a good stretch.

“Somebody swooped in and bought it for cash.”

Cash transactions are more appealing to many sellers because they get the money immediately instead of having to wait until the loan is paid off, Colethier said.

A friend of his who works in the real estate industry told him the proportion of cash purchases in the market has continued to increase.

THE DISPOSSESSED

Many at the campaign rally appreciated Kennedy’s rhetoric about a group he calls the “dispossessed,” which includes the poor, the chronically ill, and the homeless.

“He’s deeply concerned about the people who are on the edge financially,” Rebecca Vallespinosa, 57, told The U.S. Sun.

Kennedy’s supporters don’t feel President Joe Biden and other elected officials have that same sense of urgency.

“You can’t keep telling me Bidenomics is working,” Hendrickson said.

“He’s definitely gaslighting.”

Colethier believes lobbying is to blame for the economic conditions.

“Corporations are running this country,” he said.

Read Related Also: Shocking moment plane explodes in deadly fireball after wing clips runway sending it skidding into airport building

Kennedy’s campaign rally was held down the street from Independence Hall, a fact which the candidate seized on rhetorically.

“I’m here to join you in making a new declaration of independence for our entire nation,” he said.

“We declare independence from the two political parties and the corrupt interests that dominate them and the entire rigged system.”

In the nearly hour-long speech, he also railed against big pharma, big tech, Wall Street, the military industrial complex, and the legacy media.

RFK SUPPORTERS

While many people at the event were locals, some traveled from across the country to attend.

That included Vallespinosa, who caught a red-eye flight from Seattle.

The crowd skewed older and was mostly white, but there were also families with children.

Most attendees were deeply opposed to partisan politics, though many said they had a history of voting for Democrats and a strong aversion to former President Donald Trump.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found Kennedy would take 14 percent of the vote if he were to run as a third candidate against Trump and Biden.

But it’s not yet clear where those votes would come from.

Colethier and Vallespinosa said their Trump-supporting friends also have a soft spot for Kennedy.

Vic Moriana, 34, a Louisiana resident who has a “Blacks for Trump” sign in his controversial Halloween-themed front yard, appreciates Kennedy, as well.

“I like what he has to say,” the self-identified conservative who did not attend the rally told The U.S. Sun.

“I think he would definitely take votes away from Biden.

“Honestly, I think he should do whatever he can to do that if the Democratic party isn’t going to give him a fair shot.”

RHETORIC AND VIBES

Liam McGettigan, who celebrated his 24th birthday at the Kennedy rally, was drawn in by the candidate’s populist rhetoric.

“I have spent countless hours listening to RFK Jr. talk,” the aspiring law student told The U.S. Sun.

Vallespinosa and Colethier both had a similar Kennedy content binge after finding out about the candidate, who has appeared on dozens of podcasts, including the Joe Rogan Experience.

They’d all heard many negative things about Kennedy, particularly when it comes to his controversial stance on vaccines, but wanted to hear from him firsthand.

McGettigan found the candidate’s statements electrifying in a way that’s not common for modern American politics.

“I’m not often inspired by anyone that I hear in the political discourse in,” he said.

“A lot of politicians, in my opinion, don’t talk to people.

“When they’re making a speech, it doesn’t seem like they care about the people that are standing in front of them.”

But in his view that’s not the case with Kennedy.

“He actually seems like he cares about people,” McGettigan said.