Candidate Name: Christopher Marte

Office Campaigning for: City Council District 1

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

One of the reasons I got into politics is because of the activism around saving Elizabeth Street Garden. Open public green space means a lot to me and means so much to children, families, seniors, and small businesses in our neighborhood. I have been able to see how community is built through planting and events. Open space brings people together who would never have met each other before. Green spaces create and sustain community, especially now when it is hard to meet people and safely socialize. They serve a unique role as an educational, recreational, and peaceful space for all New Yorkers.

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.

For years we have been pushing back on this narrative from the City. Housing is a right but people also have a right to open air and space. As a Councilmember we wouldn’t be telling the community they can have either one or the other: it should be both. In NYCHA we’ve seen how there have been efforts to privatize its open space with Infill development. The City is always trying to take open space away from people, and Elizabeth Street Garden is no different. The fight in Two Bridges is also similar, where developers are ready to deprive low-income housing of its access to air and sunlight. All across Lower Manhattan we see open space pit against affordable housing, while almost all new construction has been 100% market-rate and far beyond what working people can afford. This is clearly a false choice, a narrative peddled by profit-driven developers, and I will never make decisions in the Council based on this flawed “either or” approach.

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

My first time visiting ESG was seven years ago. I soon after became a volunteer, then an activist fighting to preserve it, then I decided to run for office with saving the Garden as a core part of my platform. I have testified at community board hearings and spoken at rallies and attended the City’s envisioning events to fact check the City and developers’ misinformation. My experience, like many other visitors of Elizabeth Street Garden, has been transformative. It’s been not only a peaceful oasis, but inspired me to find my voice in the future of my community and fostered my vision to have Lower Manhattan to be a greener space not just in this corner of Little Italy, but across this 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?

I fully support developing 5 times as much affordable housing at 388 Hudson and saving Elizabeth Street Garden. If the City was truly committed to building new housing and not destroying community spaces, they would take this win-win solution. The City has vacant and underutilized lots throughout Lower Manhattan that are well-suited for conversion into affordable housing or new development. The housing crisis is not going to be solved by destroying a community garden, and will not end if the City continues to take a site-by- site approach.

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?

As a Councilmember, I would try to nullify the previous administration’s ULURP vote by suing the City for violating the Special Little Italy District and supporting the legal cases against development. I have been a donor to the legal fight and watched the oral arguments, so I will be ready from day one to save Elizabeth Street Garden.

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