Candidate Name: Grace Lee

Office Campaigning for: NY State Assembly 65

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

Green spaces are essential to the health of our communities. Not only do they provide clean air, beautiful plants, and act as spaces for physical activity, they are also centers for community building, expression, and contemplation. The pandemic laid bare just how essential open public green spaces are and also how inequitably they are parceled out throughout our city. Every community should have access to beautiful, well-maintained, public green spaces.

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.

We cannot and must not accept a false dichotomy that pits two badly needed public goods against each other while greedy interests profit off of the conflict and confusion. We can and we must build and maintain both public green spaces and truly affordable housing. In fact, building affordable housing and new developments should be paired with increasing public green spaces to enhance green space equity and we must also do more to hold developments accountable that promised public spaces in exchange for approval and failed to make those spaces truly available to the public.

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

Yes, it is a charming, eccentric, and quintessentially New York haven of quiet and beauty. I loved taking time to breathe and rest in this wonderful and quirky little garden.

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 completely support using 388 Hudson to build 5 times more affordable housing and also of finding ways to integrate green space into 388 Hudson.

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?

I will stand firm with our neighbors and community members to keep our community from being railroaded in a process that did not seek our consent or address our concerns. For years, I have joined supporters at rallies and protests in front of city hall for the ESG and I will continue to stand in solidarity with the ESG alongside the Downtown Independent Democrats and councilmember Christopher Marte, both of whom have endorsed my candidacy. I will continue to work to intercede on behalf of the garden and find ways to both build the critically necessary affordable housing units and also to preserve this wonderful community space.

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