T!C’s NY Primaries Candidates Guide:
Congressional District 10 — By Candidate

BOROUGH-BASED JAIL PLAN

What are your views on the Borough Based Jail Project (BBJ) and the community-led proposal for affordable housing in its place? What specific actions have you taken to support your views and/or mitigate the impact of BBJ on the Chinatown community?

It’s unfortunate that past City administrations failed to address concerns raised by Chinatown and Lower Manhattan about this project. I have engaged with community stakeholders to understand their concerns and I support Chinatown’s grassroots efforts to secure mitigation measures and explore alternatives, including permanently affordable housing. I’ve attended meetings with the city to demand transparency about the planned design and implore exploring collaborative alternatives. I’m exploring federal resources that could mitigate the project's impact on the neighborhood and will continue supporting efforts to ensure that any development respects the well-being of the community. I have also spoken with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to explore selling the MCC to the City to put the jail in that location.

As an elected official representing Chinatown, how would you navigate the tension between engaging City and State agencies on the design and construction of the jail, and reflecting the community’s strong opposition to this project?

As a federal official, I don’t have jurisdiction over locally funded projects but I’m dedicated to elevating and championing the voices of Chinatown’s grassroots community. I have articulated community concerns in meetings with local elected officials, and will continue to advocate for meaningful mitigation measures and alternatives that reflect local priorities and community desires. I am dedicated to pushing for greater accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to the community’s needs. I will continue leveraging my ability to secure and direct federal resources to local government as a means of strengthening negotiations and ensuring that Chinatown receives the investments it deserves. My role is to be an advocate for the community, ensuring its interests are defended at every stage of the process.

CHINATOWN CONNECTIONS

The Chinatown Connections project combines $11.5 million in DRI awards with $44.5 million in City capital to revamp Chatham/KimLau Square. What are your views on how the Chinatown Connections process has unfolded? Have you personally engaged in the Chinatown Connections process or addressed community concerns around it?

I’m excited to support the collaborative effort of transforming Park Row and KimLau Square, which has the potential to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and grow the public space used by many Chinatown residents. As NY-10 representative and member of the Chinatown Connections Working Group, I have worked with the government and the community to ensure an equitable and inclusive revitalization of Chinatown. Having heard from members of the community about shortcomings in the process, I will be exploring ways to work with the city to make improvements, while still providing open forums for constituents to share their opinions. I look forward to a future KimLau Square that also has an Arch to memorialize the Chinatown community.

The ongoing closure of Park Row and coordinating traffic with our NYPD neighbors is a contentious issue that has not been addressed in the Chinatown Connections project. What are your views regarding traffic on Park Row and how it should be resolved?

I’ve been keenly familiar with the Park Row situation after working as an Assistant United States Attorney nearby. Security infrastructure and parking for NYPD officials have overwhelmed Park Row, and this blockage has strangled the economic growth of Chinatown and divided communities. I am dedicated to pursuing the best interest of the community and understand that a significant majority of the community want Park Row to reopen to vehicular traffic. I have advocated for the community in numerous meetings with government organizations to understand the obstacles to its revitalization. We now need to ascertain the city’s commitment to reopen the street in tandem with security issues and other concerns that need to be taken into account.

70 MULBERRY AND DESIGNATED CULTURAL SPACES

The reconstruction of 70 Mulberry, a public building designated for Chinatown’s nonprofits and cultural organizations, is extremely behind schedule. How will you help ensure progress moves forward on the project?

When 70 Mulberry Street was damaged by a fire in 2020, it represented a tremendous loss for the community, as it is a vital landmark in Chinatown and has provided a haven for multiple vulnerable populations. Throughout my time as a representative, I have dedicated support to the organizations like CPC in their relocation process, understanding the vitality of their services for senior New Yorkers. I am grateful that their important work can continue in a temporary location but it is of the utmost importance to restore and rebuild 70 Mulberry Street. I hope to continue working with Chinatown constituents about their view for the building but I am committed to seeing through and pushing forward on restoration.

During the 70 Mulberry design process and many other public outreach efforts, the community has repeatedly identified the need for more cultural gathering spaces such as performing arts theaters, cultural centers, and affordable spaces for local nonprofits. Have you personally taken any steps towards addressing this ongoing and growing need? And how will you help ensure DCAS addresses community needs in the design process? ‍

Cultural gathering spaces are essential to a vibrant, thriving community. I am dedicated to working with and listening to community stakeholders as it pertains to their visions for new, communal spaces to pursue endeavors in the arts and give back to the community. As an advocate for the community and a member of Congress, I want to work together with constituents and DCAS to appropriately address the increasing need for cultural gathering spaces and ensure the conception process is reflective of city capabilities and community needs.

PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS & USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN CHINATOWN

$50+ million in “community funds” were designated to MOCA, Columbus Park, and 70 Mulberry as part of the the Borough-Based Jail plan. The Chinatown Partnership LDC receives approximately $1.8 Million annually in property assessments and oversees nearly $1.7M in projects out of the $20M NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funds. How would you work with these organizations to ensure the Chinatown community is informed and in agreement with how these public funds are spent?

My work with constituents in Chinatown and with the AAPI community as a whole has been dedicated to expanding access, relationship, and understanding of government. It is extremely important that the Chinatown community can navigate and access the public services dedicated to them, and my staff and I have consistently met with the community to understand its concerns and wishes and then advocated on behalf of those. I intend to continue hosting mobile office hours in the community to hear their feedback on the utilization of public funds and bridge the gap between large organizations and the needs of the constituents.

The Chinatown community uses public spaces intensively, despite lack of infrastructure such as well-maintained lighting, public restrooms, and electrical hookups to support community events. Community-led efforts have activated public spaces, like the day & night markets at Forsyth Plaza and lighting projects in SDR Park. Have you worked towards improvements to parks and plaza spaces in Chinatown?

I’m currently working with Light Up Chinatown to secure solar installation on top of the Doyers Street Post Office, which will be used to power permanent light fixtures on the street. In representing Chinatown, my office has demonstrated meaningful community engagement by hosting mobile office hours, employing Chinese-speaking constituent services staff, and cultivating partnerships with local organizations to deliver resources to small businesses and seniors. In addition to working on the Chinatown Connections project, I serve as an executive board member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and am proud to serve both Manhattan Chinatown and the Sunset Park Chinese community. I am dedicated to fighting for improved resources for Chinatown, especially public parks and plaza spaces.

How would your office specifically support community efforts to improve infrastructure in public spaces and support community uses such as cultural events and street vending?

I am committed to supporting small businesses, street vendors, cultural events, and improving infrastructure in Chinatown and AAPI communities on the local and federal level. The federal government needs to provide the city and state with the funding to ensure infrastructure is up to date, including funding streetscape upgrades at our most dangerous intersections to ensure our community’s safety. Improvements in public transit infrastructure that allow for residents to have access to quick and affordable transportation to take them across the city are vital. We must continue to invest in resources to expand public transit within the community, as well as to restore and repair older transit infrastructure. I also support expanding public transit funding to reduce transportation costs.

The Open Streets program on Canal street has been a source of friction in the community between restauranteurs/hospitality groups and residents/other businesses. What guardrails on the Open Street program would your office work toward to ensure a lively economy, equitable use of public space, and harmony in the neighborhood?

I am dedicated to hearing from the community about their concerns and praises about the Open Streets program on Canal Street. As I have pushed for increased walkability, pedestrian safety, open community gatherings, and local business activity, I believe that this program can provide significant benefits to the community but only if it is well conceived and regulated. The program must allow for the swift movement of pedestrians and encourage engagement with local restaurants and businesses, while also ensuring that once activities wind down, residents can rely on quiet nighttime hours for rest.

LOCAL ECONOMY

What is your plan to protect Chinatown’s ecosystem of affordable housing, small businesses, and family-run property owners? Which of the following do you  support or oppose and why? 

Commercial Rent Stabilization & Rent Vouchers for Legacy Businesses:

These are primarily city and state-level policy tools, but on the federal level, I have advocated for better language access for federal agencies and programs, as well as more federal resources from the Small Business Administration. I have also advocated for better public safety, including by co-leading a bill with Rep. Grace Meng to crack down on hate crimes at the federal level. And I continue to work very closely with my fellow city and state elected officials to center Chinatown in my work and ensure that it no longer gets the short straw as it has for far too long.

Other: (please add any other policy tools you are passionate about using to support Chinatown’s local economy)

Chinatown needs more affordable housing, especially as AAPI families have paid the price for outdated federal poverty standards that don’t reflect the cost of living. I support large-scale public housing investment because housing is a human right and the market has failed to meet the need. I’m a co-sponsor multiple affordable housing bills and helped pass bipartisan legislation to expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which could double the number of affordable housing units nationwide. My office helps constituents navigate public services through responsive constituent support, improved language access, and engagement with local agencies. I will continue pushing for language accessible support services, and in-language outreach so small businesses have the resources they need to thrive.

BOROUGH-BASED JAIL PLAN

What are your views on the Borough Based Jail Project (BBJ) and the community-led proposal for affordable housing in its place? What specific actions have you taken to support your views and/or mitigate the impact of BBJ on the Chinatown community?

I’ll never lie or try to trick you: I believe the BBJ is a necessary step toward the moral imperative of closing Rikers Island. We may not always agree, but I’ll always be honest with you, listen carefully to those who disagree, seek to find common ground, and work hard on behalf of the community. I take the Chinatown community’s concerns seriously and will work to ensure the facility's design minimizes neighborhood impact, that mitigation commitments are binding and enforced, and that community funds are spent transparently and in genuine alignment with what residents actually want.

As an elected official representing Chinatown, how would you navigate the tension between engaging City and State agencies on the design and construction of the jail, and reflecting the community’s strong opposition to this project?

I respect the community’s strong opposition, even as I support the BBJ as a necessary step to the moral imperative of closing Rikers Island. Given that tension, I have an obligation to work even harder to ensure that the voices of Chinatown residents are heard as the project moves forward. I will work aggressively to ensure design and construction reflect community needs, hold agencies accountable to binding mitigation commitments, convene regular community-agency meetings, and use my congressional platform to ensure Chinatown's voice is heard and acted upon throughout the process.

CHINATOWN CONNECTIONS

The Chinatown Connections project combines $11.5 million in DRI awards with $44.5 million in City capital to revamp Chatham/KimLau Square. What are your views on how the Chinatown Connections process has unfolded? Have you personally engaged in the Chinatown Connections process or addressed community concerns around it?

The $56 million investment is a real opportunity, but community concerns about whether input has been genuinely reflected are legitimate. I have engaged with organizations raising these concerns and will work with City partners to ensure remaining implementation reflects community priorities, holding agencies accountable when public engagement falls short.

The ongoing closure of Park Row and coordinating traffic with our NYPD neighbors is a contentious issue that has not been addressed in the Chinatown Connections project. What are your views regarding traffic on Park Row and how it should be resolved?

Neighbors deserve genuine public engagement around the ongoing Chinatown Connections Project. I will work with DOT, the community, and City partners to ensure transparency around this process and a result that centers community needs, ensures the plaza is welcoming and well-maintained, and resolves the longstanding tension between security concerns and the neighborhood's right to a vibrant, accessible public space.

70 MULBERRY AND DESIGNATED CULTURAL SPACES

The reconstruction of 70 Mulberry, a public building designated for Chinatown’s nonprofits and cultural organizations, is extremely behind schedule. How will you help ensure progress moves forward on the project?

The delays are unacceptable. I will work directly with DCAS and the Mayor's office to demand timeline accountability, convene community organizations and city agencies to create public pressure for progress, and explore federal funding opportunities to support the project. The Chinatown community was promised this resource, and I will fight to make sure that promise is kept without further delay. As an ally of City Hall, unlike our current Representative, I will be in a stronger position to make sure commitments are kept.

During the 70 Mulberry design process and many other public outreach efforts, the community has repeatedly identified the need for more cultural gathering spaces such as performing arts theaters, cultural centers, and affordable spaces for local nonprofits. Have you personally taken any steps towards addressing this ongoing and growing need? And how will you help ensure DCAS addresses community needs in the design process? ‍

I fought for and successfully delivered significant new cultural and nonprofit spaces in the Gowanus Rezoning, where a new community arts center, 100 affordable artists studios, and new arts-related businesses are included. I have worked closely with ArtHome and SpaceWorks, two key partners in designing nonprofit cultural spaces. I will bring that experience to Chinatown, working with DCAS to ensure that 70 Mulberry includes performing arts and cultural space. I will also explore federal funding opportunities to support the creation and preservation of cultural spaces in Chinatown.

PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS & USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN CHINATOWN

$50+ million in “community funds” were designated to MOCA, Columbus Park, and 70 Mulberry as part of the the Borough-Based Jail plan. The Chinatown Partnership LDC receives approximately $1.8 Million annually in property assessments and oversees nearly $1.7M in projects out of the $20M NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funds. How would you work with these organizations to ensure the Chinatown community is informed and in agreement with how these public funds are spent?

Public funds must be spent with genuine community input and full transparency — not just nominal consultation. That’s why I helped bring “participatory budgeting” to NYC, to ensure that the community has a real voice. I will push MOCA, Columbus Park stewards, 70 Mulberry, and the Chinatown Partnership LDC to adopt the highest standards of participation, public reporting and community oversight. Drawing on the award-winning model of the Gowanus Oversight Task Force, I will fight for real community oversight structures with meaningful accountability, not advisory roles that can be ignored.

The Chinatown community uses public spaces intensively, despite lack of infrastructure such as well-maintained lighting, public restrooms, and electrical hookups to support community events. Community-led efforts have activated public spaces, like the day & night markets at Forsyth Plaza and lighting projects in SDR Park. Have you worked towards improvements to parks and plaza spaces in Chinatown?

Chinatown's community-led activation of Forsyth Plaza and SDR Park demonstrates what's possible when communities have resources to steward their own spaces. I will advocate for federal investment, work with City partners to ensure Chinatown parks receive equitable maintenance funding, and fight for the lighting, restrooms, and electrical infrastructure that community events and everyday public life require.

How would your office specifically support community efforts to improve infrastructure in public spaces and support community uses such as cultural events and street vending?

My office will actively connect community organizations to federal funding opportunities, amplify their advocacy with City and State agencies, and provide constituent services support to cut through bureaucratic delays. I believe the community organizations activating Chinatown's public spaces are models for how stewardship should work, and I will treat supporting their work as a core function of my congressional office.

The Open Streets program on Canal street has been a source of friction in the community between restauranteurs/hospitality groups and residents/other businesses. What guardrails on the Open Street program would your office work toward to ensure a lively economy, equitable use of public space, and harmony in the neighborhood?

Genuine public engagement is needed to ensure that Open Streets create vibrant public space and reflect community needs. This was seen recently on Vanderbilt Street, where a changeover in management addressed community concerns and calmed disagreements. In Chinatown, that means ensuring the program meets the needs of community stakeholders without favoring some over others. I will work with community organizations, DOT, and local businesses to develop community-driven guardrails, and I will support thoughtful modifications to help address community and small business concerns.

LOCAL ECONOMY

What is your plan to protect Chinatown’s ecosystem of affordable housing, small businesses, and family-run property owners? Which of the following do you  support or oppose and why? 

Commerical Rent Stablization: I support commercial rent stabilization as a tool for protecting the legacy small businesses that give Chinatown its character and provide economic stability for families there. Speculative rent increases are driving out businesses that have anchored this community for generations, and market forces alone will not stop that. Targeted commercial rent protections for small, independent businesses in neighborhoods facing acute displacement pressure deserve serious federal exploration and support.

Rent Vouchers for Legacy Businesses: I support rent vouchers and direct subsidies for legacy businesses as a complementary anti-displacement tool. I would support federal funding for rent voucher programs in neighborhoods like Chinatown. No policy tool alone is sufficient, but direct rent assistance can be the difference between a beloved institution surviving or disappearing forever.

Other: (please add any other policy tools you are passionate about using to support Chinatown’s local economy):

Beyond rent stabilization and vouchers, I will fight for community land trusts that permanently remove properties from the speculative market, small business technical assistance and access to capital for immigrant entrepreneurs, strong residential tenant protections to keep families in their homes, and federal affordable housing preservation funding prioritizing neighborhoods at acute risk of gentrification. Chinatown's survival as a working-class immigrant community requires intervention at every level and I am committed to fighting on all of those fronts simultaneously.