All Eyes On Heated Harlem Council Race: Candidates Talk With Patch

HARLEM, NY — Eyes across New York City will be on Harlem this June when first-term incumbent Kristin Richardson Jordan defends her seat in City Council against a slew of challengers in what's already being called "perhaps the most competitive upcoming primary race."

With the primary slated for June 27, Harlem voters have less than four months to decide.

And Jordan, 36, will have to defend her seat after just two years in office from a strong line-up of new Democratic candidates with deep roots in Harlem: Assembly members Inez Dickens, 73, and Al Taylor, 65, as well as advocate Yusef Salaam, 49, of the Exonerated Central Park Five.

Jordan, a socialist activist and writer, shook up Harlem's political scene in August 2021 when she defeated longtime incumbent Bill Perkins.

A leading issue during Jordan's tenure so far has been her vocal opposition to the One45 redevelopment plan over cited worries about its unit affordability. She made it clear to Patch, though, that any backlash she might have gotten throughout her term won't sway her.

"That no matter the backlash, you stick up for your community and do the right thing," Jordan said after Patch asked what lessons she had taken from her first term in office. "It’s something our representatives rarely do because of fears of backlash, but the community will always show up for you."

Opposing candidate Dickens is not new to the District 9 Council seat, as she served in the position from 2006 to 2016. When asked to name a public office role model working today, she said she didn't have any.

"I can't honestly say I have any," Dickens told Patch. "As a I was taken to meetings and sat at many tables including a back table at the famed political spot of the day, the original Red Rooster listening to my dad (Lloyd E. Dickens), Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Assembly Member Bessie Buchanan, my uncle Assemblyman Thomas Dickens, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Percy Sutton, Attorney Hope Stevens, Jackie Robinson, Bayard Ruskin, Congressman Charles Rangel and others."

"After that kind of exposure, I find it hard to find a so-called role model among today’s crop of elected officials," she added.

Salaam, who is the only candidate of the four to never hold office, said the following when asked about Harlemites that might see his inexperience in the political world as a weakness.

"Those who have been closest to the pain need a seat at the table," he said.

Taylor, on the other hand, pointed to his connections and successes within the Assembly as a roadmap of how he would get things done in the City Council.

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

Here's what your Harlem candidates had to say.

Send your tips, leads and thoughts about the Harlem District 9 City Council race to Gus.Saltonstall@Patch.com

City Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan

How will you continue to work with Council leadership on ideas you've set out during your first term?

I am very proud of our work and ideas presented in my first year in office, from housing to education to sanitation and more. If reelected, I plan to work closely with Council leadership, especially within the reinvigorated Progressive Caucus, to work to get our HARLEM platform closer across the finish line.

What does Harlem mean to you, and how do you see its future?

This is incredibly easy: Harlem means home. It has been my home, and the home of my family for three generations. Our neighborhood is at a crossroads though: do we want to ensure that the Harlem of our childhood and our parents and grandparents will be here for our children and grandchildren, or will Harlem become unaffordable and unrecognizable to them? I am fighting for the former, with truly affordable housing for all, seniors that are cared for, schools that let our children thrive, and a government that is responsive and unafraid to fight for what is right.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Harlem?

We have a housing rubric that we hold each and every developer to account with. I will not approve developments that are unaffordable for an average Harlem resident, and I have approved or indicated that I will approve four developments bringing over 700 fully affordable units to our community. We must build more, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have standards for our community when it comes to true affordability, and not just taking developers at their word when they say affordable.

Do you support the One45 development project, if the answer is no, why not?

I was proud to stand up for my community and reject the first proposal. According to our truly affordable housing rubric, the development fell short and so our office first tried to negotiate but when it became clear these negotiations were going nowhere we nixed the proposal. The developer has now returned to the table, and while I cannot say much more, we are ready to fight for truly affordable housing.

How do we make our streets safer in Harlem?

We make our streets safer by building community and care, not necessarily through increased police presence. When our neighborhood does not breed community, when our housing and groceries are unaffordable, our jobs pay poverty wages, our schools struggle, and our infrastructure crumbles and are strewn with garbage, it is no wonder that crime happens. By fighting the root causes of crime and creating a justice system that is based in dignity and equity, I believe that our streets will be safer.

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

My role model currently serving is fellow Council Member Charles Barron. He has been an incredible role model, confidante, and most of all friend in the council with years of experience at many levels of government. Without Council Member Barron’s friendship and mentorship, the work I do in the Council would be that much more difficult.

Patch's personalized question: What lessons have you taken from your first term in office?

That no matter the backlash, you stick up for your community and do the right thing. It’s something our representatives rarely do because of fears of backlash, but the community will always show up for you. I am invigorated by community support with regards to housing, budget justice, and more, and that far outweighs any form of backlash I or my office has received.

Assembly Member Al Taylor

If elected, what committees would you seek and how would you hope to work with Council leadership?

Building on my work in the Assembly, I would seek to serve on the Public Safety and Criminal Justice, House and Buildings, and the Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction committees. I would look to build a strong partnership with Council leadership to best deliver the resources that our community needs.

What does Harlem mean to you, and how do you see its future?

We need a new vision for our city and our community - a vision of renewal, equity, and peace. We have endured dark times for the past few years, and we face great challenges - challenges in affordability, in opportunity, and in safety. But in these difficult times, I have faith and I believe in Harlem; I believe in our community and our ability to overcome and to grow stronger. In order to do that, we need to make sure that our government is working for us, hearing our voices, meeting our needs. That is why I am running for City Council.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Harlem?

We need to make sure that we build up new, deeply affordable, dignified housing while also working to undo inequities in our housing systems and protect communities from getting pushed out and gentrified away.

Do you support the One45 development project, if the answer is no, why not?

Harlem needs homes. We need to strengthen our community with deeply affordable homes, good union jobs, and opportunities to grow. The truck stop that is there now hurts us all and adds danger and pollution to an already oversaturated neighborhood.

There is an opportunity here to forge a new path that puts our people first, that creates deeply affordable housing where our working families can put down their roots and build up our futures, and which enhances instead of hurts our neighborhood communities. I want to see that space used in a way that uplifts the existing community, that gives back to the neighborhood, and that creates safe, dignified, and deeply affordable housing for our working families and guarantees union jobs for our laborers and I am willing and ready to sit down at the table with all of the stakeholders - developers, workers, and community leaders - to make it happen.

How do we make our streets safer in Harlem?

I support reinvesting in our communities and in community-based interventions, trained mental health interventions, and many other kinds of non-police interventions that will help keep us safe. I believe the term “defund the police” is too loaded, lacks nuance, and is not productive of the kinds of thoughtful, intentional conversations that our communities in Harlem need. I want to reduce bloat and overspending in the NYPD and to move our city towards decarceral policies - which is why I support bail reform, parole reform, and creating non-police emergency response.

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

New York City Public Advocate Jumaanne Williams is one of my role models serving today. Jumaane's desire to serve, his perseverance, dedication and ability to impact positive change is our collective goal as elected leaders. His contagious energy and hard work influences our communities to become involved in our fight, and that to me, is paramount.

Patch's Personalized Question: You’ve represented the Harlem community in the Assembly since 2017, if elected to City Council, how would you use your new position as an opportunity to tackle new legislation and issues?

As Assembly Member, I have proudly fought for and won funding for housing and for advocacy organizations, education, and more. I have been a proud champion against gun violence and supportive of community-based interventions. I would look to use my relationships and understanding of the state legislature to better address issues where city and state government must work together. I will continue to fight for our communities every day in the City Council.

Assembly Member Inez Dickens

If elected, what committees would you seek and how would you hope to work with Council leadership?

I'd like to sit on the Health, Economic Development and Housing Committees.

I’d like to work on reducing the disparities in health care have been well documented by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene going all the way back to their study in 2004. I’d like to convince the leadership of my position that we must fully fund the public health system, most importantly the Health and Hospitals Corporation. It’s the best way for us to begin to close the gap in health care and outcomes.

I’d also like to work with leadership to work on a realistic plan to begin to address our housing crisis. The best way to address affordable housing is through increasing the housing stock. We need developers to build more INCOME TARGETED housing. Government doesn’t build anything, but it can incentivize development just like it did through the Mitchell-lama program. It was also able to empower residents to operate their own dwelling places that were abandoned by their owners, just like it did through the Tenant Interim Lease Program.

Now, I’m not advocating recreating those programs, but we can create something more sound in its delivery to bring the level of affordability to keep people in their homes, but more importantly, in their neighborhoods.

Lastly, I’d like to get leadership on board with MWBE policy as a tool for economic development in NYC. With the state of the city where it is, I view this as the perfect opportunity for us to invest in small businesses and MWBE’s that have remained in New York throughout the pandemic, who were able to provide work for our residents. They deserve the contracts our city pays billions for services. It’s time to reward them for staying committed to us.

What does Harlem mean to you, and how do you see its future?

I’m a born and raised Harlemite. I’m not pretending that I grew up here or lived here. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve lived and worked in the community through good times and bad times.
Harlem has always been a Mecca for those who wish to experience and/or celebrate Black history and pay their respects to the activists and artists that helped shaped Black culture in America. It’s been a community that welcomed migrants, like my family, and immigrants who came to Harlem looking for opportunity.

It has changed and transformed a number of times over the last century and continues to do so.
As for its future, I believe that Harlem's continued growth and evolution will ensure it becomes one of New York City's premier destinations for generations to come.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Harlem?

The same way I suggested as my motivation for sitting on the City Council’s Housing Committee.
Government must incentivize development just like it did through the Mitchell-lama program. It was also able to empower residents to operate their own dwelling places that were abandoned by their owners, just like it did through the Tenant Interim Lease Program.

Now, I’m not advocating recreating those programs, but we can create something more sound in its delivery to bring the level of affordability to keep people in their homes, but more importantly, in their neighborhoods.

Do you support the One45 development project, if the answer is no, why not?

I’ve not taken a position on One45 yet. I’ve spoken with the developer at his request and I’m waiting to see what changes he’s prepared to make to his plans that would benefit the local community and address the concerns of local residents. A responsible elected official negotiates in the best interests of their constituents and not just says “no” all the time.

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

I can’t honestly say I have any. My father, Lloyd Dickens, served in the NY Assembly from 1959-1964. As a I was taken to meetings and sat at many tables including a back table at the famed political spot of the day, the original Red Rooster listening to my dad, Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Assembly Member Bessie Buchanan, my uncle, Assemblyman Thomas Dickens, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Percy Sutton, Attorney Hope Stevens, Jackie Robinson, Bayard Ruskin, Congressman Charles Rangel and others. After that kind of exposure, I find it hard to find a so-called role model among today’s crop of elected officials.

Patch's personalized question: You’ve represented District 9 in the City Council before, if elected again, would you look to do things differently or stick with what worked for you the first time?

Honestly, I’d look to do both. When I served previously, I really delivered for my district. Millions of dollars in programmatic and capital funding that benefitted many organizations, institutions and different parts of the community where new facilities were built. So I would certainly look to do that again. But it’s also not the same district or all of the same issues. I would also look for new innovative ideas to tackle some of the old and many of the new issues that have cropped up.

Exonerated Central Park Five Member Yusef Salaam

If elected, what committees would you seek and how would you hope to work with Council leadership?

I’m running for City Council to stop the tide of disinvestment in our community and build a brighter future for Harlem. To that end, among others, I would seek to sit on the Committee on Civil and Human Rights, the Committee on Criminal Justice, and the Committee on Economic Development. I look forward to working with Speaker Adams to bring much needed dollars, attention, and systemic change to the 9th Council District.

What does Harlem mean to you, and how do you see its future?

Harlem is my home. It raised me and took care of me and my family at a critical time in my life. And where some people may have fallen through the cracks, I was able to grow in an incredible way due to a great support system provided by this neighborhood.

As I walk around Harlem, I see that there is a crisis. Streets are unsafe, our students are still behind on their education due to struggles related to the pandemic, and people are being forced to make the difficult decision to stay and struggle, or leave Harlem altogether. Harlem’s future is one that is built around our middle-class residents – ensuring access to resources that will lift families into the middle class, allow them the ability to own and invest here, develop businesses, and grow their families and generational wealth right here in Harlem.

How would you work to build more affordable housing in Harlem?

Prioritize the approval of developments that include the creation of units that are affordable to current residents and increase the availability of community-centered social services. Investing in our own community and ensuring that, in addition to requiring developers to include deeply affordable units as they build, we as a city vastly increase our support for social and 100% affordable housing, making a commitment as a city to end homelessness once and for all.

Specifically in Harlem, stubborn unemployment remains an issue that impacts housing; thus, additional programs to help the residents of the community get and maintain employment, as well as support for local businesses who disproportionately hire community members, are also important - and the city has a role to play. Additionally, we have housing and commercial real estate in the 9th Council District that remains unoccupied. Converting our vacant lots into affordable housing is an important first step to fixing the homelessness crisis.

Do you support the One45 development project, if the answer is no, why not?

Yes, because we need affordable housing and more of it. I'm running for City Council because Harlem has been calling out for change and true leadership that puts people first, which is why there’s no world in which I would have walked away from the previous One45 project without bringing desperately needed truly affordable units to Harlem. Whether it's this project or any other, our community needs true affordable housing from developers willing to be partners in Harlem's growth and culture, and as a member of the City Council, I will fight every day to make sure this neighborhood gets what it deserves.

How do we make our streets safer in Harlem?

We must mandate that officers who are policing our community are from our community. If our youth see an officer everyday, in uniform or out of uniform, they will develop a rapport that runs deep and fosters great relationships between the police and the community. However, we must also understand that the safest communities across the world are not those that are the most policed, but rather those with the best resources. We cannot chase quick fixes to just feel safe at the expense of justice, rather we must invest in resources Harlem needs to truly be safe – that means smart investments in jobs & training, health & mental wellness, after-school programs, wrap-around services, programs for the aging, alternatives to incarceration and other vital programs – for Harlem, by Harlem.

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

Letitia James for her fearless pursuit of justice in the face of opposition.

PERSONALIZED QUESTION: You’re going up against three candidates in the primary that are all currently holding elected office, as the lone first-time candidate of the group, what would you say to someone who questioned your inexperience in the political world?

Those who have been closest to the pain need a seat at the table. I have real world experience and a strong connection to this community over many decades that helps me understand the systemic needs of Harlem.

Candidate answers have been lightly edited for clarity.