BY KATHRYN STOMSVIK with ALL PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN MILES | If you’re wondering what would motivate more than 200 New Yorkers to sacrifice the perfectly gorgeous afternoon of Saturday, September 15 and pack themselves into an auditorium at the American Museum of Natural History, the answer is inspiring: It’s the opportunity to become more civically educated and engaged.

Among those joining New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal for his West Side Town Hall were Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, New York State Assemblymembers Tony Simone and Linda Rosenthal, New York City Council Member Gale Brewer, and a host of experts addressing close-to-home concerns.

Senator Hoylman-Sigal, for his solo time at the podium spoke on his recent accomplishments, proposed legislation, and upcoming events open to constituents. These included proposing the Fashion Workers Act similar to those in California which allow for many of the same protections afforded to other employees. Key proposals the proposed “Seinfeld Bill” ‘(passed on June 5), which the Senator illustrated by playing an amusing clip from Sienfeild in which Jerry asked a telemarketer to call him back later at his home (this requires telemarketers to disclose their identity within 30 seconds of their call). A proposal to rename the Christopher Street Subway Station to Stonewall Station (commemorating the 1969 riots and gay rights movement that ensued following a police raid on Christopher Street’s Stonewall Inn) was also highlighted. The Older Adult Resource Fair on October 8 and a shredding event on October 10 were also announced by Senator Hoylman-Sigal.

DA Bragg addressed concerns about the troublesome presence of ghost guns (non-serialized 3D-printed firearms accessible online that are difficult to track). While Bragg said that shootings in Manhattan were down by 40%, he also noted, “Our hate crime docket is at an all-time high. We are seeing more than ever before. Forty percent of our hate crime docket is anti-Semitic crime,” said Bragg, adding, “We are seeing assaults, property damage, [etc.].” Efforts to connect unhoused New Yorkers with mental healthcare, housing resources, and career services are also a priority for Bragg’s office as he announced two initiatives to address this crisis. “Six million dollars for Community Navigators, people who themselves have had these issues, formally unhoused, [are] out walking our streets connecting with people, providing more services.” His second initiative connects individuals appearing in his court with needed services, such transitional housing. (Bragg-discussed issues including gun safety, housing reform, and hate crime prevention were later addressed by other electeds, often noting they were working in tandem with other policymakers to advance these issues).

The “City of Yes” initiatives of increasing carbon neutrality and economic/housing opportunity was addressed by MBP Levine, who highlighted the upcoming compost collection mandate for all buildings in NYC and an emphasis on the need for affordable housing units—a topic echoed by Assemblymember Simone, who asserted, “The West Side should not just be a playground for the ultra-wealthy. We need housing for the middle class, we need housing for the firefighters and teachers who should be able to live and work in the same district.”

Legal Aid Society Staff Attorney Ellen Davidson explained the recently enacted Good Cause Eviction law, which protects market-rate renters from frivolous eviction by requiring landlords (who operate 11 or more apartments) to prove “good cause” such as destructive behavior or non-payment of rent. Davidson stated, “For many tenants, almost half of the tenants in New York City, before April, at the end of their lease a landlord could say, “I’m not renewing your lease.” The landlord could double their rent and it was completely legal.” Tenants without subsidies lacked the same protections against arbitrary evictions and steep rent increases as those protected by HPD (NYC Housing Preservation and Development). This law can now be raised as a defense in housing court to help prevent wrongful evictions and unjustified rent hikes.

Sasha Ahuja, Campaign Director from New Yorkers for Equal Rights, spoke passionately about voting YES for Proposal Number One on this year’s November 4 general election ballot. It expands New York’s Equal Rights Amendment to include protections based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy. Ahuja warned of the growing threat of far-right ideology, particularly as revealed in Project 2025, which has seen a group of ultra-conservatives amass a sort of Day 1 policy and hiring guide should Donald Trump return to the White House. She urged that voting YES on Proposition 1 is essential to safeguard the rights of all New Yorkers in the face of these threats, explaining, that Proposal Number One “protects the right to abortion here in New York State and it closes the loophole so that no New Yorker can be discriminated against by the  government.”

Danielle Mindess, Program Director from the Midtown Community Justice Center, addressed the nexus of E-bikes and public safety. While the dangers of lithium battery fires are well-documented, many of the E-bikes, scooters, and other variations of two- and three-wheel vehicles barreling down the streets of New York are not. Mindess explained that before the pandemic, this was a gray area. Now, however, with the explosive rise of delivery apps prioritizing speed of delivery over safety and the influx of deliverypeople not familiar with NYC’s rules ofthe road, the lack of clear regulations and enforcement has created dangerous conditions for both riders and pedestrians. Delivery driving is now considered one of NYC’s most deadly professions, surpassing construction work. Mindess advocated for more comprehensive regulation and was very excited about the new law requiring mopeds to be registered at the point of sale because, “We need to know who is driving on our streets in order to hold them accountable for bad driving.” She cautioned, however, against overly punitive measures that could harm already vulnerable workers and emphasized the importance of expanding legal pathways for migrants, addressing the root causes of unsafe riding which include holding predatory delivery apps accountable.

Marisa Bearak, Assistant Director from the American Jewish Committee, addressed the rise of anti-Semitic behavior and hate crimes since the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel and the rise of hate speech and conspiracy theories as vehicles to stoke anti-Semitism against Jewish Americans. She spoke of the need for people to educate themselves about other cultures and exercise tolerance so every American can feel safe.“Fighting anti-Semitism isn’t just a Jewish issue,” said Bearak, noting, “It’s something that must be done by all members of society.”

Council Member Brewer—who arrived having just walked 30 blocks along the 55th Annual African American Day Parade—spoke about the need for washers and dryers in our public schools. “There are so many young people in care, who are in the shelters or migrants…They come to school with dirty clothes and they get bullied.” She has so far been able to allocate 14 washer and dryer sets for 14 schools, but emphasized the severity of the need, noting teachers have resorted to taking students’ laundry to their own home, to provide them with clean clothes.

After the scheduled presentations, index cards filled with audience questions were collected, and the floor was opened for a Q&A moderated by Senator Hoylman-Sigal from the podium and his nimble staff, who made their way through the room with mics that (literally) allowed audience members to be heard. The discussion quickly turned to E-bike regulation and safety enforcement, with cyclists and pedestrians alike sharing their concerns. Some recounted dangerous and even deadly encounters with rogue cyclists. Self-identified law-abiding cyclists voiced their frustration at the lack of enforcement of traffic rules, which puts everyone at risk.

Audience member John Kelly spoke about dangerous offenses that occurred right in front of police, which went ignored. “You can badger elected officials and people working with groups a lot, but it’s not really their responsibility, the boots on the ground aren’t enforcing these laws,” he lamented. One audience member suggested that motorized bikes, whether they are gas or electric, should require registration with the DMV, safety training, insurance, and a license—similar to what’s required of those seeking a motorcycle license.

Other attendees raised concerns about expanding and restoring bus routes, with affordable housing receiving multiple mentions. Ewan, a landlord, expressed, “We have heard about wanting to make the West Side affordable for people to rent. One of the largest expenses that we all see is that insurance, property taxes, and utility bills are going up at crazy rates. What are we doing to make it affordable for people to provide housing so that we can lower rent and provide New Yorkers with a safe place to live?”

The Legal Aid Society’s Ellen Davidson explained that part of this problem is that we have been relying on the private market to provide affordable housing and, “It’s not necessarily their job.” Tax credits do not sufficiently subsidize the operating cost, and we need, Davidson maintained, to actually fund affordable programs as well as better regulate cost increases from insurance and utility companies. Cullen Oliver Johnson, an advocate for bicycle safety, spoke about better educating the cyclist, particularly Citybike riders who may be unfamiliar with laws in our city, stronger enforcement by NYPD, and accountability for those who flagrantly violate our laws.

The event was scheduled to begin at 1pm, but many attendees arrived early to speak with representatives from the various electeds and participating organizations. Just over three hours later, lively discussions with representatives, guest speakers, and audience members spilled into the lobby after the event. Whether it’s voting on key legislation or addressing safety and housing concerns, New Yorkers of the 47th District remain determined to tackle these challenges head-on.

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, TAKEN BY CHRISTIAN MILES

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