East Harlem 68th Assembly District Race 2022: Wilfredo Lopez Profile

HARLEM, NY — Voters in New York City's 68th Assembly district, which includes East Harlem and parts of Central Harlem and the Upper East Side, will see four names on their ballots when they vote in the June 28 primary election.

One of those names will be Wilfredo Lopez, an attorney who is among those challenging incumbent member Edward Gibbs.

Early voting runs from June 18-26. (Find your polling sites here.)

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles, asking for their positions on issues like affordable housing and public safety, and giving them the chance to describe their records in detail. Lopez's responses are below.

Name

Wilfredo "Wil" Lopez

Campaign website

https://www.lopezforny.com

NYC neighborhood of residence

East Harlem

Office sought

State Assembly

District, if applicable

68th Assembly District

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

J.D. ; BA in Political Science

Occupation

Attorney

Family

Wife-Luisa Lopez, she is a social worker who is the director of social services for the Urban Outreach Center (UOC) in Yorkville.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

NA

Age

41

Previous public office, appointive or elective

no

Why are you seeking this office?

I am running to address the problems that have gone ignored for too long. The lack of truly affordable housing options, including NYCHA, the continued gentrification, and the increase of violent gun crime plaguing our streets. I am running to help save the small businesses that are overburdened and to fight for our healthcare workers who kept us safe and healthy during the pandemic. I want to fully fund our schools, guarantee universal healthcare, and defend working peoples' right to organize into unions. I want people in East Harlem and Yorkville to earn enough to thrive, not just survive, and leave a better future for our kids.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The rise in gun violence. We cannot wait for the federal government to step in and stop the flow of guns via the “iron pipeline.” We must shift the extra responsibilities away from police to allow them to focus primarily on ending gun violence. That is why I will fight to pass “Daniel’s Law” and create a civilianized mental health response unit, that will handle the bulk of the issues affecting quality of life in East Harlem and Yorkville, freeing the police to focus on stopping the gun violence. Further, I will bring additional resources to our community to ensure we have programs to engage our youth and provide more alternatives for them.

How would you address ongoing concerns about public safety in New York City?

We have to address the public safety issues globally and locally. We must increase funding for mental health resources and housing to address the growing number of unhoused individuals dealing with mental health issues or substance use disorder. We also must shift the responsibility away from police to deal with these types of issues and allow trained mental health professionals to handle these situations. This will allow police to focus on violent crime, which should be their primary focus.

Do you think the NYPD's response to the recent surge in crime will affect efforts at police reform and, if so, how?

No, it creates an opportunity for police, communities, advocates, and other stakeholders to work together to achieve the needed reforms in a way that will achieve the mutual goals of having safe communities and good policing. All sides must come to the table and speak honestly about their goals and find the common ground. As the Assembly Member, I will help facilitate these discussions in our district.

What is one policy you would support to make housing more affordable in New York City?

Rethinking how we calculate Area Median Income (AMI).

Should officials do more to encourage New Yorkers to return to work in person? If so, how? If not, why not?

The pandemic demonstrated that many of the jobs we have can be done remotely. We should encourage the availability of remote working options, including hybrid options for those who wish to continue working from home on a part time or full time basis. We should also repurpose commercial office space for other uses, such as housing, to create more housing stock in NYC.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have a wealth of experience both legislating and as an organizer. I worked at the City Council last term and I successfully negotiated and passed over 20 pieces of legislation, including the ban on the use of cancer causing pesticides in city parks. I was also a lead organizer of the City Council Union, the Association of Legislative Employees (ALE). During the pandemic I also helped organize the building I lived at in East Harlem after the landlord cut the gas on the entire building. We ended up having to go to court, winning a year's rent and the necessary repairs for the building. I know how to work with people to get things done.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

The current incumbent has failed to engage the community on important issues that have come up during the last legislative session. He never discussed his position on the bail reform law with constituents after to do so multiple times. He voted on the budget without advocating for more money for NYCHA. (Editor's note: Gibbs's campaign rejects this characterization, noting that he publicly advocated for $500 million in capital funding for NYCHA before the budget was passed.)

Lastly, when confronted by his community about why he initially signed on as co-sponsor to the NYCHA Trust legislation, he quickly took his name off the bill and then gaslighted the community by saying that he was never on the bill. Even going as far as shouting at organizers in front on his office. This community deserves elected officials who will listen to them and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I will address the oversaturation of drug treatment facilities in our community. Central and East Harlem have 3% of NYC's population, yet we are burdened with 18% of NYC's drug treatment capacity. We must ensure that every community carries their fair share of drug treatment facilities. We must also change how the contracts for treatment facilities are written and awarded. We must shift to a result based model that will ensure that facilities are transitioning patients to other treatments than methadone.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My professional career has taken me from working in retail, to becoming an attorney, and ultimately led me to serve as a legislative director in the New York City Council, where I helped author and pass over 20 pieces of legislation on a range of issues. While there I also co- founded the City Council Union, the Association of Legislative Employees (ALE). I am a fighter with the experience to make the changes and bring solutions to the 68th Assembly District, ensuring our community is treated with the dignity and respect we deserve.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My dad would always tell me to never cross a bridge until you get to it. When I was younger, I would often get anxious about the "what if x happened." This piece of advice has taught me to always have a plan, but to not lose sleep over what can happen.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want to be a visible and engaged public official, my door will always be open to anyone who needs help, wants advice, or has an idea of how to make things better. I like to be thoughtful and I will listen to any argument on any issue. If it is a strong argument, supported by facts and data, it may sway me. My job will be to be the voice of this community, that means I will seek input on issues and advocate for this community.