City Council Redistricting 2023

The process of redistricting the New York City Council for the 2023 elections began in the summer of 2022. Proposed new draft maps have been released, which make relatively minor changes to the boundaries in our neighborhoods, but make a big change in terms of (mostly) correcting a long-standing wrong from the last decade’s redistricting.

The Redistricting Commission, however, is considering various proposed changes to the draft lines, which could have ripple effects throughout the city, including with the balance of population between districts. While Village Preservation has no objection to any boundary changes outside of our neighborhoods and believes there is room for improvement in the proposed maps, we feel strongly that any changes must not diminish the marked improvement in the equality of district size (and therefore proportionate representation) in the current proposed maps.

Learn more about our efforts to ensure equal representation:

Election 2021

The 2021 municipal elections will determine our new Mayor and the composition of the City Council, among other offices. These elected officials will have an enormous influence over our city and our neighborhoods’ future, especially regarding preservation, development, and land use issues.

You can have a say in what happens: VOTE.

Please note: As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, Village Preservation is not allowed to make any endorsements of candidates.

City Council

Three City Council districts cover Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo.

Don’t know which district you’re in? Enter your address below to find your district:

District 1 (click here to see map)

On June 2, Village Preservation held on online forum with the candidates in the First District — click below to watch:

Questionnaires were sent regarding preservation and development issues to candidates Lester Chang, Sean Hayes, Susan Lee, Gigi Li, Jenny Low, Maude Maron, Christopher Marte, and Tiffany Winbush. Click on the images below to read their responses (Chang, Hayes, and Winbush did not respond):

Lee
Li
Low
Maron
Marte

Additional comments from Gigi Li regarding support for SoHo/NoHo rezoning proposal


District 2 (click here to see map)

On June 1, Village Preservation held on online forum with the candidates in the Second District — click below to watch (incumbent Councilmember Carlina Rivera did not participate):

Questionnaires were sent regarding preservation and development issues to Erin Hussein and the incumbent, Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who are running in the June 22 Democratic Primary, and Allison Ryan, who is running in the November general election on an independent line. Click on their mages below to read their responses (Councilmember Carlina Rivera did not respond):


District 3 (click here to see map)

On May 10, Village Preservation held on online forum with the candidates in the Third District — click below to watch:.

Questionnaires were sent regarding preservation and development issues to Erik Bottcher, Phelan Dante Fitzpatrick, Marni Halasa, Aleta LaFargue, Leslie Boghosian Murphy, and Arthur Schwartz (who submitted after our deadline). Click on the images below to read their responses: 

Bottcher
Fitzpatrick
Halasa
LaFargue
Murphy
Schwartz

Mayor

Our Petition to Mayoral Candidates

The next Mayor needs to know that historic preservation makes for a better and more resilient NYC — it encourages investment and economic development, it’s green, it helps preserve, protect, and uplift diverse histories and communities, and makes it easier for longtime residents and small businesses to stay in their homes. 

Big real estate is pouring millions into the Mayoral race, and they’re gunning for longstanding landmark and zoning protections that put people and communities first over a quick buck. Let the candidates know you want a diverse, sustainable, equitable and beautiful NYC, and that historic preservation is a key part of that.

On the Issues

Village Preservation has reached out to mayoral candidates about their position on the Mayor’s SoHo/NoHo plan and upzoning neighborhoods, requesting position statements, responses to a questionnaire, and participation in candidates forums. We have been meeting and communicating with mayoral candidates (all have received copies of Village Preservation’s report and analysis, and here is what we can tell you about their positions on the SoHo/NoHo plan and upzoning):

Eric Adams has expressed support for the Mayor’s plan for upzoning SoHo and NoHo.

Shaun Donovanexpressed support for zoning changes in Soho that de Blasio has recently backed that would upzone” the area.

Kathryn Garcia has expressed support for upzoning SoHo and NoHo; at a recent meeting with Village Preservation and other preservation groups in which she was questioned about the plan and the fact that it would incentivize the destruction of affordable housing and historic buildings, and the Community Alternative Plan that would allow for deeper and broader affordability without incentivizing destroying affordable housing or historic buildings, she reiterated her support for the Mayor’s plan and not for the Community Alternative Plan.

Dianne Morales has said that “the zoning process itself is broken, and we need to fundamentally recreate how we do this…. I’m supportive of stopping all the massive rezonings until we fix the broken [Uniform Land Use Review Procedure] process. Right now, in terms of upzoning SoHo, I think we need to pause that as well. Because we really need to sort of re-examine the entire process by how this has happened.” Morales also called for an overhaul of the mandatory inclusionary housing program, saying, “We need to move away from this speculative market that commodifies housing, that provides incentives and subsidies to developers and prioritize community development” via “eminent domain and community land trusts” — a critique of the program similar to our own.

Scott Stringer has expressed support for the Mayor’s plan for upzoning SoHo and NoHo.

Click here to see items connected to Scott Stringer’s record from our website.

Maya Wileydid not give an affirmative whether or not she supported lifting the manufacturing and artist studio zoning on [SoHo and Noho] which the de Blasio administration believes could create more affordable housing in Lower Manhattan.”

Andrew Yang has come out unequivocally in favor of it.

We have not yet received a response from the McGuire campaign, nor have we been able to find a public statement from the candidate on the issue.

This is by no means an exhaustive accounting of the statements by these candidates on these issues. We will continue to pursue direct responses from the candidates to our outreach, and welcome being directed to any other public comments candidates have made on this issue, which we will share.

Manhattan Borough President

Where Borough President Candidates Stand On SoHo/NoHo Rezoning

Election 2017

2017 City Council Election: Districts 1 and 2

District 1 Candidates Questionnaire and Responses

District 2 Candidates Questionnaire and Responses