Forest Hills City Council Race 2023: Meet Your Candidates

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Residents across Forest Hills will be laser-focused on the elections in June, when New Yorkers cast their votes for their favorite candidate to occupy the City Council seat.

With the primary slated for June 27, Forest Hills voters have less than a month to decide who will represent District 29.

Lynn Schulman, 65, will have to defend her seat after just two years in office from a strong line-up of familiar faces in the district: Democrats Ethan Felder, 35, and Sukhjinder Nijjar, 45.

Schulman claimed her victory against Michael Conigliaro, the sole candidate who ran as a Republican in the district. So far, she's been vocal on health issues concerning reproductive rights, as well as labor organizing within New York City hospitals.

Felder, a labor lawyer, served as a Democracy Party District Leader and a Community Board 6 member. He's organized several rallies, including the Queens Unity Rally against anti-Semitism in 2020 and a protest after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Nijjar is a Sikh community leader who immigrated from Punjab when he was 14. He lives in Richmond Hills and he's been a small business owner in the district for over 30 years.

Danniel Maio, 61, a mapmaker living in Forest Hills, is the sole Republican candidate running for the District 29 seat. Last year, he lost against Democratic candidate Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. for the State Senate 15 seat.

To kick off election season, Patch sent each of the candidates a set of identical questions and a personalized query.

Here's what your Forest Hills candidates had to say.

Lynn Schulman

How would you continue to work with Council leadership on ideas you've proposed?

Immediately after I was sworn into the City Council, I hit the ground running with my partners in leadership to introduce and pass impactful legislation. As Chair of the Health Committee, I have been building diverse coalitions of council members who agree that every New Yorker, regardless of their zip code, should have access to affordable healthcare.

One of my most significant legislative accomplishments so far was passing the first citywide diabetes reduction plan, specifically aimed to reduce the incidence and impact of type 2 diabetes; the bill was sponsored by a bipartisan group of 42 colleagues.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned, my colleagues and I acted swiftly to pass critical legislation to expand abortion access in our city. I have also introduced a bill to fight the illegal weed shops that are putting our communities at risk; this legislation, which has widespread support in the Council, would make commercial landlords liable for knowingly leasing storefronts to illegal cannabis businesses.

In addition, I am again working closely with Council leadership on the city budget to secure funding for our libraries, education, healthcare, and other key initiatives in Queens and citywide.

Forging strong relationships with leaders on both sides of the aisle is how I am delivering results for the hardworking people of Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, Rego Park, and New York City at large. I will continue to do the same during my next term in office.

What do Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, and Richmond Hill mean to you, and how do you see their future?

Queens is our city’s most diverse borough, and our district is at the heart of this multiculturalism. This is why I have loved every moment of my decades of public service here, including on our community board, precinct community council, chamber of commerce, and community education council.

Yet Queens also represented the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequities it highlighted. Healthcare inequity and its place in our borough are deeply personal to me. It is here where I witnessed a generation of my friends and neighbors die from AIDS because of the indifference of those in power. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Queens again experienced what happens when we lack hospital capacity and other resources.

I have dedicated my personal and professional life to healthcare advocacy. This was my focus when I ran for City Council last cycle because I believe that a diverse Queens should not mean an inequitable Queens. Healthcare is a human right, and as a recent breast cancer survivor, I learned firsthand how challenging our current health landscape can be. That is why I am determined to leave my mark on our community’s future by increasing hospital and healthcare capacity here. Our lives depend on it.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Forest Hills?

I am proud to be the first council member representing our district to obtain deeply affordable housing for a new large development in our community. As a member of the Council’s Zoning and Franchise Committee, I have advocated and negotiated for affordable housing throughout our city.

Additionally, I am a staunch defender of the right of low-income tenants to be provided legal representation in housing court, a requirement under city law that is not being enforced the way it should be.

I am working to ensure that we have affordable housing and that home-, co-op, and condo owners are treated fairly. Should I win a second term, I will continue to lead with this approach.

Do you support pedestrianizing some segments of Austin Street? If not, how would you implement pedestrian safety?

Mobility is a fundamental part of making our city function for everyone. It is important to identify opportunities to enhance the overall experience on Austin Street, while not having a negative impact on the local businesses that have overcome so many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When I was first elected to the City Council, I scheduled an on-site visit to Austin Street with Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to discuss the issues of this primary location in our community. I subsequently made an official request to the Department to conduct a formal study of conditions there.

The current problems with traffic congestion, pedestrian experiences, and mobility conditions on the street are unacceptable. A comprehensive review will help us find the smartest way to resolve these problems. At the end of the day, shaping the Queens of our dreams requires making better use of our streets.

How do we make our streets safer in Forest Hills?

The first tenet of government is to ensure people feel safe, yet I frequently hear from our neighbors about their concerns for public safety. Public safety is a very complex issue. I believe that improving public safety requires a combination of community policing along with social services, mental health services, alternatives to incarceration programs, and investments in our young people. As a member of the Criminal Justice Committee, I have been working on these and other solutions to keep our city and neighborhoods safe.

Name one role model you have in public office who is serving today, and explain why.

There are so many inspirational women in government whom I view as role models. One who stands out is New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Tish saw an opportunity to make her voice heard in her community, and she took it. She rose up in public service from public defender to council member to our city’s public advocate, breaking down barriers every step of the way.

With Election Day quickly approaching, I am thrilled that our campaign has Tish and other incredible leaders with us. I look forward to earning the support of all my constituents — current and new this cycle — before we head to the polls on or before June 27th.

Ethan Felder

How would you work with Council leadership on ideas you've proposed?

As a community leader, I have built effective coalitions to ensure our diverse communities are
empowered in a time of rising discrimination. I am committed to working with Council
leadership to forge effective democracy. That includes elevating the voices of community
members through open and public forums and community dialogue.

What do Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, and Richmond Hill mean to you, and how do you see their future?

I grew up in District 29. I am a graduate of the Solomon Schechter School of Queens and

Townsend Harris High School. My parents still live in Forest Hills. Our community raised me,
taught me the values of hard work and giving back. As I campaign around our District the
energy, spirit, and magnetism of the people who live here shine through from doorstep to
doorstep.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Forest Hills?

Our City and District are facing a housing affordability crisis. Roughly one-third of renters in our
District are severely rent-burdened spending over 50% of their household income toward making
rent. This affects our children’s educational success – a nurturing and safe home is critical to
learning. We have experienced new construction of luxury housing and over-development in
parts of our District.

As Council Member I will advocate for new funding mechanisms for low-
income families and our seniors to purchase a home, public and private partnerships that support
new housing construction, and improved enforcement against housing discrimination. We will
only thrive as a City if working and middle-class families can afford to live here.

Do you support pedestrianizing some segments of Austin Street? If not, how would you implement pedestrian safety?

In conversations and public meetings with community members, advocates for pedestrianization,
and business owners there are conceivable and tangible ways to improve Austin Street and
enhance its vibrancy. We can reduce congestion by increasing the number of commercial truck
delivery zones, reducing parking meter time from three to two hours in order to curb meter
feeding, and, with further careful study, convert a portion of Austin Street between Ascan and
Continental Avenues to one-way Westbound traffic without losing any parking spaces.

How do we make our streets safer in Forest Hills?

Public safety must feel and be real. Our 112th Precinct Commander has reported crime has
decreased 21 percent in Forest Hills this year. The proliferation of illegal unlicensed marijuana
dispensaries requires effective and coordinated enforcement from the New York City Sheriff’s
Office and our local police precincts.

I am committed to investment in crime prevention and supporting the work of mental health
professionals in responding to mental health emergencies. Education, economic opportunities,
anti-violence programs for at-risk youth and mental healthcare access are central to building a
safer community.

I will work to ensure that capacities are in place for our police to respond to our communities’
most immediate security needs. Trust between community members and our police is essential.
We must ensure police services are delivered in an accountable manner and our police officers
have the training necessary to effectively carry out their service.

I will work to increase community participation in decisions concerning our public safety
including on issues related to public safety spending. How, for what and when our public
resources on security are used and managed needs to be discussed at a community level.

Name one role model you have in public office who is serving today, and explain why.

I am proud to have campaigned for our President Joe Biden in a moment when our democracy fundamentally teetered. President Biden’s historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure and ability to mitigate the climate crisis will redound to the benefit of future generations of Americans. His decency and ability to use his long experience in government to deliver actual results when the Republican Party has reached new extremes are admirable.

Sukhjinder Singh Nijjar

How would you continue to work with Council leadership on ideas you've proposed?

I have served on the board of trustees, and the executive membership, as well as handled the public and media relationships of one the oldest and most prominent nonprofit organizations in Richmond Hill, Queens, that work very closely on local community issues, events and awareness programs with all types of officials, up to the governor of New York State.

We have held many many meetings and events within the local areas to make many different programs available from youth to seniors and have brought in resources to the local communities as well. I have much-needed communication and all sort of experiences that it takes to make sure our leaders are getting the message of what our constituents' needs are and have brought their voices to leadership’s attention as well.

What do Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, and Richmond Hill mean to you, and how do you see their future?

Richmond Hill is home to me, and all the neighborhood surroundings are my favorite. It's where I grew up, seeing changes in the area and what needs to be done are my priorities to bring the quality of living into my home and surroundings.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Forest Hills?

There are many changes happening in and around District 29. One of them is all high rises, multi-family buildings and many other types of structures that are going up, and that brings more people into the area. Where rents are high, I will introduce more programs for fresh and first-time home buyers. I will also bring new bills into local government to change or add more affordable apartments into those new high rises.

Do you support pedestrianizing some segments of Austin Street? If not, how would you implement pedestrian safety?

Yes, I do support it. As the area of District 29 is getting busier, it also requires making walking-friendly streets. I would propose shutting down streets over the weekend or even after a certain time so neighbors can shop and walk around safely.

How do we make our streets safer in Forest Hills?

I would bring more community patrolling with the help of our hard-working law enforcement of all kinds. It will bridge the gap that we have for non-communicative [law enforcement] or not feeling great about law enforcement as well. It will bridge a more comfortable platform with our communities and law enforcement. Our law enforcement put their life in danger for us and we should all appreciate the hard work and sacrifices they do for us. Having that trust is very much needed especially in these times.

Name one role model you have in public office who is serving today, and explain why.

There are plenty of officials out there that I admire because they are working tirelessly to make sure our neighborhood is safe. Safety being the upmost need at this time around, I would say our District Attorney Melinda Katz is my role model as she is very aggressively approaching the crimes and implementing law enforcement so we can resolve many cases and also prevent more incidents and crimes.

Danniel Maio

How would you continue to work with Council leadership on ideas you've proposed?

Constituents come first; Council leadership comes last. Current administrative codes and laws penalize good citizens who abide by them and enrich those who have ears of the elected. Instead of focusing on new ideas to work with Council leadership, I prefer to fix those hundreds and thousands of codes and laws that are ineffective, meaningless, or outright wrong.

What do Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, and Richmond Hill mean to you, and how do you see their future?

Home and neighbors. Increasing the number of Ring and security cameras. More time spent in finding a parking spot. Checking the basement regularly when a storm approaches. Uncut branches that could damage houses and cars. A growing number of uneven sidewalks. We are paying more taxes, and the quality of our neighborhood has gone down, down, down. Have those you elected improved your neighborhood?

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Forest Hills?

We have enough housing stock. The city must allow landlords to rent and tenants to sublease. The City is against subleases, and is pro “tenant rights." Currently, it takes at least 2 to 4 years to evict a non-paying tenant, and the judge almost always requires landlords to pay “relocation expenses” allowing tenants to stay past the eviction date. Tenants get free legal services; landlords do not. Where is the incentive to fix affordable housing?

Do you support pedestrianizing some segments of Austin Street? If not, how would you implement pedestrian safety?

Austin Street was not as congested and more pedestrian-friendly before the COVID-19 pandemic. Why would City Council pass laws OK’ing cafe sheds on a busy roadway?

How do we make our streets safer in Forest Hills?

Give citizens the ability and authority to ticket violators and problem causers. My office will help follow up.

Name one role model you have in public office who is serving today, and explain why.

City Councilman in the 30th District, Robert Holden. He cares, and he acts.