Candidate Name: Brad Hoylman

Office Campaigning for: Manhattan Borough President

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

Public green spaces are more than an amenity for New Yorkers; they are essential to livable communities. As a Community Board Chair, as State Senator and now as a candidate for Manhattan Borough President, I have made the preservation and creation of new public space a priority. Most recently, I won a major new park space in Hudson River Park this year by passing language requiring the NYPD to vacate Pier 76, where they had previously located their Tow Pound, so that it can be transformed for our community’s use.

Green space is not only aesthetic. It also improves air quality, which is tied directly to asthma rates and life expectancy. It is tied to mental health outcomes. The elimination of green space causes harm in unexpected places – even health care costs will begin to rise. As we now know from living through the pandemic, it is more than a refuge from urban life. It is a necessary part of a happy and well existence.

I have long been a supporter of the Elizabeth Street Garden and continue to believe in its importance for our community. I have attended rallies, signed onto letters and been a public, vocal supporter of the garden, despite it being outside my Senate district. It is not just green space. It is a piece of interactive artwork. And it must be preserved.

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.

Many of the communities I represent are home to storied, active community gardens like ESG that have for generations provided a treasured space for neighbors to spend time with each other, enjoy being outside, and connect with something larger than themselves. That community benefit was once recognized and supported by many of our City’s leaders. But as open spaces across the city, including community gardens, have increasingly been targeted for development by rapacious developers, we have seen a City less willing to do the right thing, and sometimes actively engaged in the destruction of green space. As Manhattan Borough President, I intend to be an active defender of green spaces and to use my oversight over land use to require not just the preservation but the creation of new green space.

What has happened at Elizabeth Street Garden is indicative of the false divisions that the City has too often allowed to derail real community planning. Real life is not zero-sum: Our community wants to preserve existing green space and provide affordable housing. We do not have to pit these interests against each other, because they both work in service of a better community.

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

Yes, I have visited many times! I especially love visiting with my children. It is always a serene respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life, and a place where I can go to hear myself think.

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?

I strongly support the proposal to use 388 Hudson for affordable housing and appreciate Community Board 2 and Council Speaker Johnson’s efforts.

ESG CURRENTLY HAS A PENDING LAWSUIT TO SAVE THE GARDEN LED BY ATTORNEY NORMAN SIEGEL. IF THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED BEFORE THE CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION, ONCE IN OFFICE, HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH ESG TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?

I hope for a positive outcome to the lawsuit filed by Elizabeth Street Garden--but if ESG is still imperiled when I am elected as Manhattan Borough President, I will first start by calling our new Mayor and asking them to make preservation an immediate priority.

Second, I am interested in greatly expanding the legislative efforts coming out of the Borough President’s office. I have been a creative and productive legislator in the State Senate, and I would like to work very closely with ESG to change the structural conditions in the City that have led us to this moment.

I am also a firm believer in the ability of our community to reach creative solutions when we are working as one team--and in the possibilities that can suddenly open when new leaders step up. I would look to use my convening power as Borough President to bring all our stakeholders together and push towards a resolution that preserves ESG.

Finally, as a lawyer, one way that I hope to expand the office of Borough President is with greater involvement in the filing of amicus briefs.

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, NYC PARK, OR GREENTHUMB GARDEN HERE: HTTPS://WWW.ELIZABETHSTREETGARDEN.COM/FUTURE

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