Candidate Name: Jo Anne Simon

Office Campaigning for: NY 10 Congress

PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR POSITION ON THE ROLE OF PUBLIC GREEN SPACES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.

Public green spaces are vital to healthy neighborhoods, especially in areas such as park-deprived lower Manhattan. They both serve as gathering spaces for community members and, in the case of Elizabeth Street Garden, as an educational resource for many of our local schools. In my district in Brooklyn, I have been an ardent supporter of initiatives to support, expand, and create green space for my constituents including the formation of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Greenway and several small vest pocket garden spaces. I have also been an active supporter of Thomas Greene Park in Brooklyn. In addition to my work protecting green space, my entire career has been about lifting the voices and fighting for the rights of those who have been historically marginalized. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Yonkers, the grandchild of immigrants, and was the first in my family to attend college. I am a disability civil rights lawyer, a former teacher of deaf students, a community activist, and progressive NY State Assemblymember. I fought and won a landmark case that went up to the Supreme Court and changed the landscape for disability rights. I have had significant legislative victories against big industries and institutions that needed to change - our Red Flag law which is the strongest such gun violence prevention law in the country, the campaign finance reform bill to close the notorious LLC loophole, a gender equity bill, a supported decision making bill to protect people with disabilities, an education bill for those with dyslexia and related learning disabilities, and more. I helped secure equal pay for equal work, voter and elections reforms, paid family leave, and sexual harassment protections. I also helped codify abortion rights into New York State law.

PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR POSITION ON HOW THE CITY PRIORITIZES PUBLIC OPEN GREEN SPACE AND HOW COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE OFTEN PITTED AGAINST THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Unfortunately the city has a history of creating a false choice between open space and other good uses that have often led to the loss of public greenery. To push back against this, we need to dramatically reform the City’s Uniformed Land Use Review Process (ULURP) so that communities have a seat at the table from the very beginning, and are not left scrambling to protect beloved local institutions or fight for minimal amounts of truly affordable housing. As an elected I have fought, and will continue to fight against the unnecessary destruction of green space.

HAVE YOU EVER VISITED ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

I believe I have visited Elizabeth Street Garden, but it was some years ago. I have heard from friends and colleagues who love its unique space that is frequently utilized by members of the surrounding neighborhoods. I am well aware of the proposed development at the site of the garden. I plan to visit as I spend more time with the communities I am hoping to represent on the Manhattan side of the district.

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE ALTERNATIVE SITE SOLUTION THAT WOULD USE 388 HUDSON — A GRAVEL- FILLED, CITY-OWNED LOT — TO PROVIDE UP TO 5X THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ADDITIONAL PUBLIC OPEN SPACE WHILE SAVING ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?

The fact the city is attempting to evict Elizabeth Street Garden while a plan to save the garden and provide more affordable units has been proposed is reprehensible. Relocating Haven Green to the disused lot at 388 Hudson appears to be the best option for Elizabeth Street Garden and the community it serves, and will allow for the creation of extra affordable units which are also greatly needed in lower Manhattan.

ESG IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN TWO LAWSUITS TO SAVE THE GARDEN. ONE TO STOP HPD'S ATTEMPT TO EVICT THE GARDEN AND THE OTHER WITHIN STATE SUPREME COURT LED BY ATTORNEY NORMAN SIEGEL. IF THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED BEFORE THE CHANGE OF OFFICE, ONCE IN OFFICE, HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH ESG TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?

If elected, I would use my position to help Elizabeth Street Garden advocate with our city officials, the type of endeavor in which I have a great deal of experience. I pride myself on being an extremely accessible legislator and my office would meet regularly with members of the Elizabeth Street Garden community to discuss new developments and how they will impact the future course of action. I came to politics by way of community work. In fact, a local land use boondoggle started my civic activism in the early 1990s and the crises in how we plan -- or don’t -- remains a passion of mine. I have fought many battles with the City of New York because they didn’t engage with the community or get community’s feedback before implementing substantial community projects. ULURP is outmoded and literally sets up the community to fight someone else’s idea of what the area needs. That’s backwards in my mind. To that end, we must ensure that communities are at the table planning for their community because land use projects inevitably have significant environmental and economic impacts on our communities - and projects should reflect the communities’ vision. As Congresswoman, I would work with community to ensure that their voices are heard from the beginning, not just at a public hearing after the die has been all but cast.

IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU SUPPORT ESG'S PLAN TO SAVE THE GARDEN AS A CONSERVATION LAND TRUST? PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW ESG'S FUTURE PLANS FOR SAVING THE GARDEN AS A CONSERVATION LAND TRUST HERE: HTTPS://WWW.ELIZABETHSTREETGARDEN.COM/CLT

Yes

IF YOU ANSWERED "NO" TO THE ABOVE QUESTION, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.

N/A

IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU COMMIT TO SAVING ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN IN PERPETUITY?

Yes

IF YOU ANSWERED "NO" TO THE ABOVE QUESTION, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.

N/A