T!C’s NY Primaries 2026 Candidates Guide:
Congressional District 10 — by Issue

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?

DAN GOLDMAN‍
I believe that any public project of this scale must fully consider its impact on the surrounding community, and it is unfortunate that the past two City administrations failed to adequately engage residents or address the significant concerns raised by Chinatown and the Lower Manhattan community. I strongly support Chinatown’s grassroots organizing efforts to secure meaningful mitigation measures and to explore alternative uses for the site, including permanently affordable housing, which is desperately needed in our neighborhood. Since being elected to Congress to represent Chinatown, I have actively engaged with community stakeholders to understand their concerns and advocate for their priorities. Either I or my staff has attended numerous meetings with the City to demand transparency and communication about the planned design. I helped to push the Adams administration to delay construction on the site so that the community could explore alternative options with the City. I have worked to explore potential federal resources that could help mitigate the project's impact on the neighborhood and will continue supporting efforts to ensure that any development respects the needs and well-being of the local community. I have also spoken with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to explore whether they may have any interest in selling the MCC to the City in order to put the jail at that location.

BRAD LANDER
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?

DAN GOLDMAN
Although I do not have direct jurisdiction over locally funded projects such as the Borough-Based Jail as a federal elected official, I believe I have a responsibility to use my position to elevate and champion the voices of Chinatown’s grassroots community. And that is exactly what I have done.

I have been clear in articulating community concerns to City and State leaders, and I will continue to advocate for meaningful mitigation measures and alternatives that reflect local priorities. At the same time, I recognize that effective representation requires engagement with all levels of government. I have participated in numerous meetings with City and State elected officials and the community to understand the community’s desires as well as with City Hall to advocate on behalf of the community. I will continue to use every opportunity to push for greater accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to the community’s needs.

In addition, 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 and protections it deserves. My role is to be an advocate for the community, making sure its voice is heard and its interests are defended at every stage of the process.

BRAD LANDER
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.

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? 

DAN GOLDMAN
When the Chinatown Connections project was unveiled in 2024, I professed my support and excitement for the collaborative effort of the city, state, and Chinatown community coming together to transform Park Row and KimLau Square. Manhattan’s Historic Chinatown is one of the oldest and most significant Chinese-American neighborhoods in America and has long been a hub of cultural and economic activities. I am proud to witness the city and state engage in this crucial investment to help revitalize this long-overlooked neighborhood.

In the past two years, I have worked with the mayor, fellow elected officials, government agencies, and the community to ensure an equitable and inclusive revitalization of Chinatown. I am a member of the Chinatown Connections Working Group that has promoted insightful communications between community stakeholders and elected officials. This renovation has the potential to positively impact bicyclists and pedestrians daily safety and growing the public space used by many Chinatown residents.

Requests from community members to improve the intersection so residents can cross safely sparked this project, highlighting the importance of community conversations in making actionable change. I intend to continue working with and for Chinatown residents and providing open forums for constituents to share their concerns and hopes for the project. I have heard from various members of the community that there are shortcomings in the process and I will be exploring how we can work with the city to make improvements. I look forward to a future KimLau Square that also has the Arch that memorialized the Chinatown community just like other historic Chinatowns around the country.

BRAD LANDER
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?

DAN GOLDMAN
I’ve been keenly familiar with the Park Row situation after my years working as an Assistant United States Attorney at nearby courthouses. I have noticed how security infrastructure and parking for NYPD officials has generally overwhelmed Park Row for the last 23 years, and understand how this blockage has strangled the economic growth of Chinatown and divided communities. I am dedicated to pursuing the best interest of the community in this matter and I understand that a significant majority of the community want Park Row to reopen to vehicular traffic. I have had numerous meetings with City Hall, the NYPD, federal law enforcement agencies, and others to understand the obstacles to its revitalization, and have been a firm advocate for the community. Understanding the desire of my constituents, I believe 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.

BRAD LANDER
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.

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? 

DAN GOLDMAN
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 within the community. 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 for over 50 years. I am grateful that their important work can continue in a temporary new location but I understand that 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 70 Mulberry Street restoration.

BRAD LANDER
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? ‍

DAN GOLDMAN
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.

BRAD LANDER
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.

$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?

DAN GOLDMAN
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.

BRAD LANDER
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?

DAN GOLDMAN
I admire the Chinatown community’s use of public spaces in a community-driven and engaged way. I am currently working with Light Up Chinatown to secure solar installation on top of the Doyers Street Post Office. This solar installation will be used to power permanent light fixtures on Doyers Street. In my time representing Chinatown, my office has demonstrated what meaningful community engagement looks like through hosting mobile office hours, employing Chinese-speaking constituent services staff, and cultivating partnerships with trusted 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.

BRAD LANDER
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?

DAN GOLDMAN
Supporting small businesses, street vendors, cultural events, and improving infrastructure is a vital issue for Chinatown and AAPI communities and I am committed to advocating for them on the local and federal level. I firmly believe that the federal government needs to provide the city and state with the funding to ensure infrastructure is up to date. This includes funding streetscape upgrades at our most dangerous intersections to ensure the safety of the community. Improvements in public transit infrastructure have a large role to play in this, allowing for residents to have access to quick and affordable transportation to take them across the city. We must continue to invest in resources to expand public transit within the city and community, as well as to restore and repair older transit infrastructure. I also support expanding public transit funding to reduce transportation costs.

BRAD LANDER
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?

DAN GOLDMAN
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.

BRAD LANDER
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.

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?  

• Rent Vouchers for Legacy Businesses

• Commercial Rent Stabilization

DAN GOLDMAN
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.

BRAD LANDER
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.

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):

DAN GOLDMAN
I recognize the need for more permanently affordable housing for the Chinatown community, especially as AAPI families have paid the price for federal poverty standards that remain rooted in decades-old calculations that bear no resemblance to the cost of living. I strongly support federal social housing and large-scale public housing investment because I fervently believe that housing is a human right and the market alone has failed to meet the need. That’s why I’m a co-sponsor of the Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2025, the Home of Your Own Act of 2025, and the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025. I also played a significant role in passing bipartisan legislation to expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which has the potential to double the number of affordable housing units nationwide.

To protect this vital ecosystem, we must also fix how we measure affordability. AMI calculations mislead policymakers about what families can actually afford in places like downtown Manhattan, where even "deeply affordable" housing leaves residents one emergency away from crisis. Policy must be measured by real outcomes: rent burden reductions, lower healthcare and childcare costs as a share of household income, improved housing stability, and rising household savings. Our families deserve policies built around their actual lives, not outdated formulas.

Federal funding for small business recovery is critically important. I have seen how the state and federal government mishandled their responses during the pandemic and how it led to most Chinatown businesses missing out on small business support due to limited language access and because they shared zip codes with wealthier neighborhoods. The lack of tourism and foot traffic severely hampered Chinatown business recovery and now rising rates and imminent recession threatens to harm the community. During my first two terms, my office invested resources to ensure constituents could navigate public services through responsive constituent support, improved language access, and meaningful engagement with local agencies. I plan to continue to push for increased language accessible support services, and in-language outreach so small businesses are aware of these services and have the resources they need to thrive.

I have also fought back against Trump's cuts to SNAP and the tariffs that devastated AAPI small businesses. I have engaged in outreach to inform small businesses of loan opportunities that may be available, including for handicap accessibility. I introduced the ROBINHOOD Act to make the ultrawealthy pay their fair share and generate enough revenue to fund universal childcare nationwide. I support restoring the Child Tax Credit, expanding social housing, and using public investment to reduce transportation costs. I back strong antitrust enforcement to stop price gouging on groceries, utilities, and other essentials.

BRAD LANDER
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.