Julie is committed to bringing progressive solutions that are focused on protecting and alleviating the burdens of the most vulnerable communities.

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Affordable Housing

 

Like nearly 90% of her constituents, Julie is a renter, and has seen firsthand how skyrocketing rents and fewer affordable options have driven out countless neighbors from their communities. That’s why in her first term as Council Member, Julie stood up to powerful interests, and put people before profit:

 

• Approved 1,622 units of affordable housing in her first year – which is more than all the affordable housing built in the borough of Queens in the last decade.

• Secured historically deep affordability rates, with half of these units set aside for low income and very low income families.

• Focused on expanding the number of affordable family-sized units (2 or more bedrooms) so that we can continue to live in our neighborhood as our families grow.

• Secured the very first supportive housing units for homeless CUNY students, to be located in Long Island City.

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Julie will bring Comprehensive Planning to our neighborhood, and put an end to the “spot rezonings” that pit our communities against each other. With Comprehensive Planning, the community, and not speculative developers, will determine how we use our land so that our neighborhood grows with us affordably and sustainably. As long as she serves on the City Council, Julie will continue to be a fierce champion for tenants and take bold action to fight the affordable housing crisis.

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Funding our Schools

 

Last year, federal pandemic funding for NYC schools ran dry, and at the same time, student enrollment in our public schools dropped as families chose to move out of NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local and state funding for each public school is tied to enrollment, under a policy known as Fair Student Funding (FSF). Facing a citywide budget cut to education, Julie fought to guarantee that our schools were better funded than ever before. As our Council Member and mother to a future public school student, Julie:

 

• Secured an additional $11 Million from the city budget for our district’s schools–ensuring that our schools are better funded than ever!

• Allocated over 70% of her annual $5 Million capital funding specifically to repair and upgrade our school buildings, including replacing broken air conditioners, building new auditoriums, and more!

• Increased enrollment at schools throughout the district to ensure that Fair Student Funding levels would remain the same or be increased in District 26 schools.

 

As the first woman and mother to represent us on the City Council, Julie visited each and every public school in our district, and worked closely with parents, teachers, principals, and education officials to address their concerns. That’s why Julie has been endorsed for re-election by the United Federation of Teachers, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY, and NYC KidsPAC.

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Parks and Greenspaces

 

Our City’s parks and greenspaces are the centers of community for our neighborhoods, and Julie is committed to providing the funding necessary to keep them safe and well-maintained for all of our neighbors and families. With the climate crisis worsening each year, Julie knows how important greenspaces are to preventing flash floods and other deadly consequences of climate change. As Council Member, Julie:

 

• Secured $15 Million from the City budget to repair and upgrade our beloved parks and playgrounds.

• Approved for 2 acres of new public greenspace for our district!

• Allocated funding to non-profit organizations dedicated to preserving our parks and battling climate change, such as the Hunters Point Park Conservancy, and much more!

• Sponsored free community programming in parks throughout the district, including the highly-attended Movies Under the Stars.

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LGBTQ+ Rights

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LGBTQ+ rights are human rights- and Julie is committed to making sure that New York is an inclusive place for all. As LGBTQ+ rights are under siege around our nation, it is critical that New York City remains a shining beacon of hope and equity for the community. In her first two years on the Council, Julie:

 

• Fought against the appointment of homophobic and transphobic bigots to key City offices

• Is backing legislation in the Council to support LGBTQ+ seniors to ensure that every New Yorker can age with dignity

• Successfully negotiated the expansion of supportive housing options for those living with HIV/AIDS

• Funded various LGBTQ+ organizations and non-profit organizations, including Drag Story Hour

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Hate has no place in NYC. As insidious far-right forces seek to demonize and vilify the LGBTQ+ community, Julie will be an advocate whether it's holding City agencies accountable, marching alongside her neighbors, or pushing back against hate.

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Transportation

 

Julie wants to return our streets to people. Since the days of Robert Moses, New York City has committed a quarter of its public land to automobiles, destroying families, communities, public health, the environment, and New Yorkers’ ability to get around quickly and affordably. Julie is committed to fighting for a New York where your access to reliable transit does not depend on your ZIP code, and streets where children can safely play. That's why she:

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• Worked to construct safe and upgraded bike lanes on the Roosevelt Island Bridge

• Is fighting for traffic safety measures such as wider sidewalks and traffic lights in order to protect pedestrians' safety

• Pushed back against bureaucratic delays in DOT projects which needlessly drag out projects to modernize our city's infrastructure

• Fought for increased accessibility on public transit, particularly for studies to add elevators for the 7 train stations along Queens Boulevard, which are currently inaccessible to New Yorkers with walkers, wheelchairs, and strollers.

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As New York expects the implementation of congestion pricing to come soon, the city is at a crossroads as we reimagine how we allocate public space to promote mobility, equity, justice, and vibrant neighborhoods. We must expand the Fair Fares program and ensure that all low-income New Yorkers receive heavily discounted or free Metrocards. Affordable and efficient public transit is the backbone of Queens' economy and community, and Julie will fight to ensure that everyone has access to reliable transit.

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