District 4 Issues
As your City Council member, I will work to ensure that nobody feels left behind as we all run together toward a brighter future for our city and community. I would love to hear your voice about what issues matter most to you.
Below is a snapshot of the vision I’m running toward. Please join me.
Issues
We are in the midst of an affordability and housing crisis. As a member of Community Board 8, I sat on the Land Use and Zoning Committees. I experienced first hand the important and grueling ULURP process and know what it is like to critically examine housing proposals.
There are five core strategies I will prioritize on the Council.
1. Protect current stock of affordable housing
Reports show that NYC affordable housing saw a net loss of over 150,000 units, over 75% since 2019. In 2023 alone, there was an estimated net loss of over 4,000 rent-stabilized units. Units are being deregulated, often illegally.
We must protect the affordable housing stock we have. We cannot accept a decline in the percentage of affordable units as street homelessness increases. Affordable housing is key to creating a just and safe city.
2. Hold HPD and DOB accountable for enforcing affordable housing requirements.
Agreements to develop new affordable housing units are great, but they’re worthless if they aren’t enforced. We've seen numerous instances where development with permitted FAR increases under Mandatory Inclusionary Housing didn’t follow through and complete the promised affordable housing, especially when affordable housing was permitted to be off-site. Oversight is essential to tackling the housing challenge and the only way we can that ensure that the new Universal Affordability Preference program will succeed.
3. Convert commercial to residential, wherever possible
The current office vacancy rate in Midtown is 20 percent. Many of these empty spaces must be repurposed as residential housing as we seek to optimize our current spaces alongside the creation of new housing. We can build up to 85,000 new mixed-income units in Midtown Manhattan by increasing allowable density on sites where residential towers are already permitted.
4. Prioritize age in place housing for seniors
We need to ensure that seniors have access to rental assistance programs as well as accessibility upgrades and in-home care. We must ensure that they are protected against harassment and know their rights under the right to counsel law. We must build vibrant communities where seniors can age-in-place in the neighborhoods they built and sustained.
5. Build modern middle class housing
City of Yes is a start to the larger project of ensuring the middle-class can thrive in our city. But City of Yes, on its own, is only estimated to result in about 5,000 new units per year across the whole city. That’s not going to be enough, especially in District 4 where we’ve seen plenty of development, but not enough new housing to show for it.
We must be vigilant in ensuring new construction meets affordability targets. For example, what we have seen, including right across the street from my apartment, are tenements with affordable housing being torn down so that towers with a relatively small number of enormous apartments can be built, meaning that even when developers participate in mandatory inclusionary housing and comply with their legal obligations, we end up with fewer affordable units than we had before. This isn’t acceptable, and it isn’t going to help solve the crisis.
As your Council member I will work with all stakeholders to ensure that new projects, especially ones seeking variances or other regulatory exceptions, will meaningfully increase - not decrease - the stock of middle-class and affordable housing.
I am serious about public safety. We deserve to feel safe in our homes, on our streets and sidewalks, and in our subway stations. I will champion proven solutions to reduce crime and to combat antisemitism and other forms of bigotry. Our synagogues shouldn’t need to hire extra security guards to prevent vandalism, and our immigrant neighbors should feel safe going to work without the fear of being deported.
My office will foster ongoing conversations with both local law enforcement and community advocates to ensure we’re doing our part to reduce violent crime, combat business theft and keep our neighborhoods safe.
I’ve heard the concerns of residents about a range of street safety issues from e-bikes and scooters, from individuals riding mopeds on the sidewalks to careless behavior in bike lanes that leaves pedestrians feeling like they could be hit at any moment while trying to cross the street. I’ve spent the last four years pushing my children in strollers, so I know how it feels like you could be hit at any moment while trying to cross the street or even get on or off the bus.
We’ve made progress on pressing street safety issues with help from state-level officials. Mopeds, motorbikes and e-scooters will now be registered at point of sale. This is a huge win against the crisis of unlicensed vehicles endangering pedestrians. That said, we have more work to do.
We need to hold delivery services accountable for unsafe practices they’re forcing on workers, such as time targets that can’t be met when following basic safety and legal rules. These companies are endangering our neighbors and hiding behind workers to avoid taking responsibility for the harm they’re causing.
As a former public school teacher and current public school parent, I have both the context to understand the complex issues facing local schools and the commitment to deliver results for families and the future of our city. I served on Community Board 8, where I chaired the Youth, Education, & Libraries Committee and was a member of the UFT and AFSA.
At a time when our federal government is actively against public education, I commit to supporting stronger local protections for public education and standing up against threats to public school resources.
I will work to ensure that there are truly enough 3-K and pre-K seats for all, which is not the current reality in our district.
My priority is keeping our students safe by ensuring school entrances have well-functioning surveillance cameras, schools are supported by data-driven programs to combat bullying, funding is safeguarded for free school meals, and students are safe from any attempts to pull them out of school by deportation agents
Addressing homelessness and serious mental illness in New York City demands urgent, coordinated, and compassionate action. Right now, the systems meant to provide care are fragmented, under-resourced, and burdened by bureaucracy leaving too many vulnerable New Yorkers without support.
As your City Council Member, I will champion three key solutions to break this cycle: securing stable housing, improving coordination across services, and protecting access to inpatient mental health care. These strategies work together to build a city where everyone can live with dignity and receive the help they need.
Housing First
We need a long-term, comprehensive approach to permanent housing and mental health care for low-income New Yorkers. I support Housing First policies that prioritize providing permanent housing without preconditions, a proven, cost-effective strategy used successfully in countries like Australia, Canada, Finland, France, and Japan. This approach helps prevent recurring homelessness and addresses root causes early.
Improving Homeless Services Through Coordinated Data Systems
Roughly 2,500 unsheltered individuals regularly interact with City services, from law enforcement to hospitals to nonprofits. Yet outdated technology means these systems can’t share vital information. As a result, outreach workers and first responders often engage with people without knowing their history or existing supports. By integrating these systems—with strong privacy protections—we can make interventions safer, more effective, and more humane.
Protecting and Expanding Inpatient Mental Health Care
We must preserve and expand inpatient care for people with severe mental illness. I also support Borough President Mark Levine’s push to expand the Transition to Home program at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center, which could serve far more patients than it currently does. Additionally, I back his proposal for student loan forgiveness to help recruit and retain psychiatric care professionals at NYC Health + Hospitals.
These aren’t isolated issues—they’re deeply connected. And solving them takes leadership that’s ready to act, not just talk.
I’m ready to deliver bold, practical solutions that reflect the urgency of this crisis. Together, we can build a city where no one is left behind—and everyone has a path to stability, safety, and support.
We should be able to take pride in our streets. Clean streets are not only important for the dignity of neighborhoods but a matter of public health. We’ve seen some progress on sanitation, including a reduction in the number of rats on our streets, but we have more work to do.
Funding for sanitation will be a key priority for my office. From increasing the number of public waste bins to reinvigorating environmentally-friendly sanitation services including recycling and composting, the areas for improvement are vast.
We must also hold commercial spaces accountable for adhering to sanitation laws by ensuring proper and equal enforcement. Improperly containerized business waste is not only unpleasant but encourages rodents onto our sidewalks. I will work productively with local businesses to not only ensure compliance but that business owners have the support and information they need to remain in compliance.
I will also work to ensure our tree pits and green spaces are protected, including through the encouragement of proper leashing and dog-walking procedures that prevent animal waste from entering these spaces and degrading our plants.
Vanessa Aronson believes that New York City deserves a government that serves its people, not politicians, lobbyists, or special interests. She is committed to sweeping out corruption, enhancing transparency, and ensuring the city’s operations function in the best interest of its citizens
Vanessa proposes a series of reforms to bolster democracy by improving ethical standards and practices in New York City while strengthening our electoral system.
1. End Pay-to-Play Politics
- Ban Contributions from City Contractors: Vanessa will work to ban campaign contributions, bundling, and Independent Expenditures from individuals or entities doing business with the city. This will prevent contractors from using political donations to buy influence.
- Extend Contribution Restrictions: Vanessa supports extending restrictions on contributions from contractors and lobbyists for at least one year after their city business concludes, to end “thank you” donations.
- Stop Big Donors Buying Elections: Vanessa advocates for lowering contribution limits for non-participants in the NYC Matching Funds Program at parity with current contribution limits for participants. This will give more power and influence to small donors resident in New York.
- Restrict Foreign Influence: Vanessa will advocate that NYC follow the lead of other U.S. cities in preventing corporations with 1% or more foreign ownership from contributing to political spending in city elections.
2. Enhance Transparency in Government Operations
- Open Lobbying Calendars: Vanessa will require all Council Members and city agencies to disclose lobbying meetings twice a year. This will provide a transparent view of how lobbying influences city decisions.
- Stop the “Revolving Door”: Vanessa supports extending the ban on former city employees and public servants lobbying City Council Members.
- Restrict Consultant Lobbying: Vanessa supports restricting consultants from lobbying their former clients for a period of two years after their client has won elected office.
- Prevent Insider Hiring: Vanessa will advocate for restrictions that prohibit city agencies from hiring individuals who have lobbied them within the past year.
- Leverage COIB Expertise: Vanessa advocates for centralizing and strengthening ethics regulation by shifting lobbying oversight and enforcement from the City Clerk’s Office to the Conflicts of Interest Board to create a more effective system.
3. Enhance the City Budget Process
- Establish an Independent Discretionary Funding Oversight Board: Vanessa supports establishing an Independent Discretionary Funding Oversight Board composed of nonpartisan experts, community representatives, and ethics officials. This will reduce political favoritism by ensuring funding is based on merit, not relationships, and increase public trust in the funding process.
- Publish Post-Budget Reports: Vanessa supports mandatory publication of post-budget reports detailing funding allocations and recipient outcomes.
4. Modernize City Elections
- End Patronage at the Board of Elections: Vanessa will support implementing independent screening panels for BOE commissioner nominations to ensure qualified, non-partisan leadership and require commissioners to conduct nationwide searches for top executive staff to enhance the quality of election administration.
- Enhance Poll Worker Recruitment and Compensation: Vanessa proposes increased pay, modern recruitment strategies, and technological tools to improve the voter experience and strengthen election integrity.
- Curb Mayoral Power of Charter Revision: Vanessa supports removing the Mayoral power to block charter revision ballot questions (proposed by the City Council, other charter commissions, and citizen petitions) by establishing their own Charter Revision Commission.
A Commitment to Integrity
Vanessa Aronson's platform is rooted in her dedication to restoring trust and integrity to City Hall. She is committed to ensuring that every policy, every dollar spent, and every decision made is in service of New Yorkers, not political insiders or wealthy interests.
Together, we can build a city government that is transparent, accountable, and truly for the people.
Last year alone, 641 hate crimes were reported to police in New York City. After steady annual increases in hate crimes since 2016, this marks the highest rate yet. Reports show that these crimes targeted several minority groups including members of the LGBTQ+ community, Asian Americans, African Americans, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews, attacks against whom comprised more than 54% of the total hate crimes reported in 2024.
Vanessa proposes three key steps the City must take to prevent and address hate crimes in our community.
1. Establish a 24-hour Hate Crimes Hotline to improve reporting
The upward trend of hate crimes reporting in NYC is disturbing, but we know that many more instances remain unreported. In order to effectively reduce hate crimes, the City needs to make reporting easier, safer, and more effective to better understand the scope of the problem. Currently, NYC’s Hate Crimes Task Force can only be contacted (at 1-888-392-3644) Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Vanessa advocates for the establishment of an easy-to-remember hotline open 24/7 for victims and bystanders to accurately and efficiently report hate crimes.
2. Expand Hate Crimes Training to Prosecutors and Judges
In addition to training for law enforcement, prosecutors and judges should be required to undergo specialized training for how to identify and investigate possible hate crimes. Prosecutors should be trained to thoroughly examine the possibility that racial, homophobic or other hatred may have been a motivating factor in an attack, to order further investigative steps where necessary, and to put hate motivation forward as a factor in sentencing where appropriate. Judges should receive further training on how to identify and assess relevant evidence of hate motivation, and when to take it into account.
3. Expand local backing for specialized victim support organizations
In New York City, there is an urgent need to expand local support for specialized victim support organizations, especially in light of recent funding cuts to Safe Horizon, which has traditionally relied on federal government funding. With these defunding efforts, it becomes even more critical to ensure the continued existence and growth of organizations that offer vital services to victims. These services—free-of-charge, confidential, pro-victim, and voluntary—are essential for those in need, particularly when they prefer to remain anonymous. Organizations like Safe Horizon provide crucial emotional support, information on legal options, guidance on financial assistance, and help with public relations. Additionally, they play a key role in accompanying victims to the police station or court, offering a sense of safety and advocacy. In a time when resources are shrinking, it is vital that we prioritize and strengthen these services, not diminish them, to ensure all victims in our community have access to the support they deserve.
Our seniors deserve the dignity of aging in place with support for all they’ve contributed to the success of our city. We must invest in social programs and technology that allow seniors to remain in the homes that connect them to family, friends, and their communities.
I will fight for job training, technology training, and job placement through age-smart employment practices to value and retain older workers. My office will work to combat age discrimination in hiring while also ensuring retirees are receiving the full benefits earned from their labor.
For seniors who need additional support, I will work to expand the availability of affordable and accessible home care services.
Elected officials are public servants. My top priority will be listening to the needs of constituents and the community and representing those interests on the Council.
I will solicit input from constituents, including key community interest and labor groups like the UFT, listen to the needs of the community and maintain open dialogue about priorities and progress.
Gaining access to critical city services feels increasingly unwieldy. Too often, following up on a city issue feels like shouting into a void, pointless and exhausting. I will fight to make access to services easier and increase government communication to my constituents about the services available to them.
I’m running for City Council because I’ve spent my entire career proving that it doesn’t have to be this way. I know that with the right advocate, our local government can be a mechanism for making people’s lives better.
New York City must be a place where LGBTQ+ individuals are not just protected, but empowered to live and thrive. That means standing firm against discrimination, investing in safety and opportunity, and ensuring that the protections under our state constitution are enforced with integrity and accountability.
1. Uphold the NY State Equal Rights Amendment
The New York State Equal Rights Amendment makes it unconstitutional to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. NYU Langone’s decision to deny medically necessary healthcare - specifically gender-affirming care for patients under 19 - is not only immoral, it’s illegal. I have proudly stood with advocates to demand those canceled appointments be reinstated immediately. As your Council Member, I will provide rigorous oversight and ensure healthcare providers in our district follow the law and deliver inclusive, affirming care.
2. Inclusive Leadership and Policy Coordination
The NYC Commission on Human Rights must lead cross-agency coordination to ensure inclusive, responsive policies. LGBTQ+ voices must be centered in City decisions, with mechanisms for transparency and accountability.
3. LGBTQ-Inclusive Education and Workforce Support
We must expand LGBTQ+-inclusive curricula in public schools to foster safe, affirming environments for all students. Additionally, the City needs to increase funding for workforce development programs that serve LGBTQ+ youth, many of whom face barriers to opportunity due to rejection, instability, or discrimination.
4. Safe and Supportive Housing
LGBTQ+ youth and older adults experience homelessness at disproportionately high rates. The City must invest in supportive housing and shelter programs specifically designed to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals with safety and dignity.
5. Protection in Foster Care
We must strengthen oversight of the foster care system to prevent discrimination and abuse of LGBTQ+ youth. This includes implementing regular reporting, mandatory provider training, and strict accountability to ensure affirming placements.
6. Protect and Expand Funding
With federal attacks on LGBTQ+ rights escalating, including the targeting of trans healthcare and anti-discrimination programs, we must protect and expand local funding streams for critical services. I will work to shield LGBTQ+ programs, shelters, healthcare services, and educational initiatives from budget cuts and ensure they remain fully funded and fully staffed.
7. Defend Against National Attacks
As the Trump administration continues its all-out assault on LGBTQ+ rights, New York City must stand firm as a beacon of equality not just for our residents, but for those fleeing persecution across the country. Submitting to discrimination is not an option. I will use my voice and vote to ensure our city remains a sanctuary of safety, dignity, and justice.
8. Protect the Rights of Sex Workers
Sex workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I support the Sex Worker Protection Act and the removal of the NYPD VICE Squad, which has a documented history of violence and abuse towards sex workers. I will fight to uphold the rights and safety of sex workers, including trans women of color who are disproportionately impacted by criminalization, stigma, and police violence.
Protecting Our District from Extreme Heat, Floods & Other Climate Hazards and Building a Healthier, Greener New York
New Yorkers are already living through the realities of climate change — sweltering heat waves, torrential rain storms, and wildfire-induced air pollution. Vanessa understands these hazards pose serious health and quality of life issues to residents and demand immediate and sustained action.
Vanessa pledges to safeguard the city and community from the physical risks of climate change while building a healthier, greener, and more equitable city.
1. Cutting Emissions, Improving Energy Efficiency
Vanessa is committed to New York’s goal of reducing planet-warming emissions 80% by 2050. Achieving this target means tackling emissions from buildings, transportation, and waste. Vanessa will:
- Support full implementation of Local Law 97, the city’s landmark climate law that requires large building owners to make energy efficiency upgrades, and close loopholes that enable owners to dodge their responsibilities.
- Crack down on vehicle idling, which creates needless pollution and lowers air quality.
- Help residents adapt to mandatory composting and work with the Department of Sanitation on establishing more organic waste composting facilities in the city.
2. Community-Centered Climate Preparedness
Vanessa believes climate resilience must be built in harmony with the community. Vanessa will:
- Work to establish an Office of Climate Resiliency, to develop and implement climate resiliency measures in concert with communities and educate the public about climate risks.
- Lobby for funding and technical assistance for community-based organizations (CBOs) advancing neighborhood climate resilience.
- Ensure CBOs and residents have a seat at the table in planning public infrastructure, emergency responses, and public health interventions related to climate change.
- Invest in physical and mental health services to support residents facing extreme heat and displacement due to extreme weather events.
3. Promote Green Jobs
Building a pollution-free and climate-resilient city represents a massive economic opportunity. Vanessa supports investment in green jobs and industries that make our city healthier and wealthier. Vanessa will:
- Collaborate with city agencies and CBOs to connect local talent with green jobs and career opportunities.
- Improve access to Green STEM and promote student interest in green jobs.
- Drive investment in green and resilient infrastructure – a sector that already supports over 22,000 jobs.
- Champion local climate education, training, and technical assistance nonprofits and community organizations like Solar One and the New York Climate Exchange.
4. Protecting and Expanding Green Space
Green spaces beautify our neighborhoods, and also provide frontline defense against heat, flooding, and pollution. Vanessa will:
- Fight for increased funding for park maintenance and expansion.
- Identify opportunities to create more green spaces in underutilized streets and highway margins.
- Fully implement Local Law 148 and commit to the Urban Forest Plan’s goal of 30% citywide canopy cover.
- Educate building owners on the benefits of green roof systems that can protect against excessive heat and absorb stormwater.
- Make it easier for residents to protect street trees through affordable tree guard installation programs and tree stewardship funding.
5. Improve Indoor Air Quality
New York has been repeatedly smothered by wildfire smoke – even from blazes that occur hundreds of miles away. Climate change is making wildfires more frequent and intense, and the threat to our air quality ever more urgent. Vanessa will address the air quality and health issues presented by wildfire smoke by:
- Expanding public communication alerts for air quality emergencies, ensuring timely alerts and clear guidance for at-risk populations.
- Supporting legislation requiring indoor air quality monitoring and reporting in public buildings and fact-finding efforts on improving air quality.
- Backing “Spare the Air Days” protocols on days when air quality is considered dangerous, triggering mask distribution, clean air center access, and suspension of polluting activities like charcoal grilling.
6. Strengthening Heat Resilience
Extreme heat can be deadly. NYC data says that each summer, on average, an estimated 580 New Yorkers die prematurely because of hot weather. This is unacceptable. Vanessa will:
- Support a citywide “Right to Cooling” law requiring landlords to maintain indoor temperatures below 78°F during the summer — just as they must provide heat in winter.
- Expand access to free air conditioning units for low-income families and seniors through the HEAP Cooling Assistance Program and study ways to lower cooling costs for residents in extreme heat emergencies.
- Roll out “cool pavement” programs that can lower temperatures more than traditional asphalt and reduce the urban heat island effect.
- Prevent energy-wasting “overcooling” by offices and commercial establishments that can strain the grid during heatwaves.
7. Waterfront Resilience and Flood Protection
Riverfront neighborhoods are at increasing risk of storm surge and sea-level rise. Vanessa will:
- Push for the full completion of the East Midtown Greenway to create a continuous, resilient waterfront.
- Advocate for investment in permeable surfaces to absorb stormwater and prevent street-level flooding.
- Support the Citywide Climate Adaptation Plan (Local Law 122 of 2021), ensuring that climate hazards like coastal flooding and extreme rainfall are systematically addressed through community-based solutions.
I am an animal lover and will do everything I can to protect our city’s wildlife, companion animals, and service animals.
Our city has a rich variety of birds, terrestrial and aquatic animals that enhance city living and our ecosystem. We have the technology to treat our wildlife humanely and protect them from injury and death. I will work with City Council to enforce and enact legislation and programs to protect animals in NYC.
Companion and service animals are an invaluable support to people with physical, medical, and emotional issues. I will work to fund more spay/neuter programs and enable acceptance of companion animals in rental apartments.
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