5 Questions With NYC Councilmember Candidate Sarah Batchu

NEW YORK CITY — Sarah Batchu, a 31-year-old Democratic candidate, is running for the District 2 city council seat in New York City's primary election on Tuesday, June 24.

District 2 includes Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, East Village, Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square, Gramercy and Murray Hill-Kips Bay.

The district seat is left open by the Councilmember Carlina Rivera who is term-limited.

Before running for elected office, Batchu was a community health advocate who helped launch the Center for Wellbeing & Happiness. She also was the former vice chair of Manhattan Community Board 3 and led citywide initiatives at City Hall, including launching Get Help NYC during the pandemic.

Patch recently asked Batchu five questions about her campaign and district. See her replies below

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article contains information about one of several candidates who have announced their campaigns for District 2 in the 2025 primary election. Patch has contacted the other candidates with the same questions and will post replies as they are received.

Why are you running for City Council?

BATCHU: Rising rents, shuttered hospitals, and families pushed out of their homes—it’s time for a change. I’m running for City Council because every New Yorker, no matter their zip code, deserves the chance to thrive. Our community needs a Council Member who leads with care, not more of the same.

For the past decade, I’ve worked side-by-side with neighbors to fight hospital closures, win rent relief for tenants, and help build a community center from the ground up. This is a people-powered campaign, and I’m running to make sure care is at the center of how we govern at City Hall.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

BATCHU: I’m the only tenant in this race, and I’m the only candidate who’s worked both inside City Hall and on-the-ground with neighbors in our district. I’ve expanded citywide access to public benefits, secured millions in contracts to fund community services, and worked to enshrine public housing tenant rights into state law.

I know that making this city more affordable, safe, and fair requires systemic change, starting with policies that put people first. And I don’t just have the vision—I have the know-how to get it done.
From expanding access to healthcare, to creating truly affordable housing, to making sure every student is supported in our schools, I’ll prioritize care and equity in every decision.

My campaign has already knocked over 25,000 doors and made over 100,000 calls because we believe in listening to our community first. I’m running to build a city that cares—block by block, door by door.

List two ways you plan to make the district more affordable.

BATCHU:

1. Fight for a Rent Freeze & Rental Assistance: Push the Mayor to stop further rent hikes for New York City’s 2 million rent-stabilized tenants, who have faced a 9% rent increase since Mayor Eric Adams took office and fight his administration’s attempts to block the expansion of the CityFHEPS voucher program, ensuring more New Yorkers can access the rental assistance they need to stay in their homes.

2. Pass a New Deal for NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H): Ensure every New Yorker has access to high-quality care when they need it by expanding access through NYC Care and MetroPlus, tackling nursing shortages through partnerships with City University of New York (CUNY) and labor, and addressing the H+H system’s capital needs.

List two ways you plan to make the district safer.

BATCHU:

1. Deploy a Public Health Approach: In high-need areas such as 28th Street, 14th Street, Tompkins Square Park, Washington Square Park, Sixth Avenue, and the West 4th Street Subway Station, deploy multidisciplinary task forces of community members, government agencies, and service providers to identify and treat risk factors for violence, crime, and quality of life issues.

2. Address Crime in Our Neighborhood: Promote policies that invest in job training, addiction treatment, affordable housing, and other wraparound services that not only keep us safe but also address the systemic factors driving crime.

What’s one place in the district you frequent the most?

BATCHU: I met my husband at Café Mogador in the East Village, so it’ll always be #1 in my book. Still a favorite spot of ours to this day.