City Council Candidate Responses
District 36
1. Please briefly share your background and note any experiences you may have in engaging older adults, whether professionally or personally, and in connecting with the non-profit sector.
Robert Waterman
For 20 years, I have served as Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Brooklyn which has a congregation of 450 members. 40% of our population is over the age 60+ and over the years, I have had the opportunity to listen and learn about the challenges aging adults in our community routinely face. With my experience on several hospital boards, I’ve also had the privilege to engage and serve aging adults across NYC.
Tahirah A. Moore
I was born and raised in NYCHA’s Marcy Houses. Almost everything I have learned about advocating for the people of the 36th district I learned at the knee of older tenant and community leaders. Professionally, my involvement with Seniors and nonprofits that serve them has been extensive. I have worked in a number of government roles from Legislative/Budget Assistant at City Council to Senior Advisor in the Mayor’s Intergovernmental Affairs Unit, always with a mind to serve those who deserve the best but too often get the least. In the last year I have been instrumental in identifying the elevated rates of COVID-19 in my district and found ways to establish testing sites that saved lives. I also worked behind the scenes to secure expense and capital funding to transform an abandoned police station in Mary Houses into an intergenerational community center. My work securing $10 Million for the Crisis Management System and developing the Central Brooklyn Violence Prevention Plan built on the work of Elder activists in the community, as did my work to preserve 227 Duffield, the last house standing in Brooklyn that was part of the Underground Railroad. I honor our elders and their wisdom and know that they will be an important part of creating a city that serves all New Yorkers.
Chi Ossé
I love my grands. Often, in forums I speak of the influence my union working grandparents have on my work now. My maternal grandmother is still a trusted advisor, especially when it comes to education and community building. Her knowledge of public education and NYFT/UFT is invaluable. And, I love talking to her. My Senior platform was written after talking to local leaders, like Selma Jackson. Mrs. Jackson has been a stalwart leader in Brooklyn. She helped start Bridge Street Development Corporation and co-founded the artist center 4W, which helped usher in the 90s artist movement in Brooklyn. And we engaged the elders, especially leader, in a few public houses to discover the needs and to amplify the good things. My team and I have maintained a food program for five senior spaces in Central Brooklyn. Rather than spending money on a Turkey for the Holidays, we used the outlay to feed hundreds for four months Co-governance and service are not just slogans but how this campaign activates.
2. As we live longer and healthier lives, what are your priorities with respect to promoting equity across all ages in our City?
Robert Waterman
In a growing economy we must ensure that New York City is a place that anyone can live, start families, and if they choose, retire. NYC is currently in a housing crisis and it is going to take strong advocates and fair housing policies to ensure that we provide opportunities for all ages. No one should have to face eviction nor fall into the cycle of growing homelessness in our community. In addition, we need to ensure our economy provides space for all individuals and families at any age with the ability to break into entrepreneurship and create generational wealth. Lastly, we must expand food security programs that support our aging population and those that are in desperate need.
Tahirah A. Moore
New York is very segregated by age. We send our children to schools with narrow cohorts and we cluster seniors in housing developments for those over 55. We have done some of this because it makes sense from a developmental perspective or because it is favored by consumers. Unfortunately, one of the unintended consequences of age segregation has been that the living conditions of older New Yorkers is being hidden from the larger population. I support creating more opportunities for age integration like community-based multi-generational programming. Intentional multi-generational programming will also help to fight ageism in the workplace. With more and more seniors staying in the workplace, full-time and part time, we must address the impact of ageism on the alarming rates of poverty experienced by older New Yorkers, especially those in the Black and brown communities. I also believe that the City’s Inclusive Design Guidelines should be mandatory for all new affordable housing developments so that people can stay independent and in their own homes for as long as possible. I support using real income rather than the flawed AMI system, which is leading to a Senior homelessness crisis, to determine affordability. COVID-19 has revealed how important it is for all members of our community to access broadband internet services. I support free broadband in all affordable housing units in the City, which would drastically improve real, meaningful access to the internet for Seniors.
Chi Ossé
The key to living longer and healthier lives lies in actually making our daily lives sustainable, exceptional and enjoyable. Building better infrastructure, ending ageism in the workplace while ensuring our under-privileged elders have access to the benefits they need to maintain sustenance. Working with service providers to protect housing for renters and owners.
We must prioritize community. A healthy life is built on social interaction.
3. Do you support increasing the budget for the Department for the Aging (DFTA), which funds programs such as Senior Centers, NORCs, home-delivered meals, and more? Please give rationale for your response and specify any specific funding changes you are most committed to achieving.
Robert Waterman
Yes, more than ever it is time that an increase in funding is fully supported and enacted. In the past 18 months, we have experienced a global pandemic that has isolated our aging population from their families and caused a significant need for the services of DFTA.
Tahirah A. Moore
Twenty percent of New Yorkers are over the age of 60 and DFTA funding accounts for less than 1% of the City’s budget. The City needs to prioritize increasing the DFTA budget to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing Senior population that prefers to age in place. During the COVID-19 pandemic thousands more Seniors relied on meal delivery services which are now drastically underfunded in a way that disproportionately affected Black and brown seniors. One of my first priorities will be expanding funding for our meal delivery services to adequately support New York Seniors receiving high-quality, nutritious, culturally appropriate meals through these programs. In addition to food insecurity, I know that affordable housing is a major issue in my district especially for older New Yorkers living on a fixed income. I support truly affordable housing, tied to real income, for Seniors within developments catering to our over 55 population and in developments that are more age integrated.
Chi Ossé
I support increasing the DFTA budget. We should not short change our aging population. During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw that our elders have been neglected for some time. The current budget has seen a decrease of 37.5 million, which was allocated to the agency last year.
While making sure the aforementioned programs are well-funded, it is important to weed out bad actors and systemic inefficiencies. That is why I propose re-allocating the monies slashed from DFTA’s budget back to the agency and supporting the agency’s growth with the creation of an oversight committee.
Additionally, I want to establish an enforcement division within DFTA. The idea is to create or better fund an agency to enforce codes, laws and regulations that protect our Seniors. These rules would be applied to spaces that will be codified as senior facilities -- such as adult daycares, nursing homes, senior community centers, living facilities, hospices and the like. The enforcement agency or department will have jurisdiction over public and private spaces.
More dollars must be spent on the legacy and legendary folks in our community. However, we have to ensure the dollars are spent appropriately and effectively.
4. Do you support implementing a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for city-contracted human service workers and the full implementation of the Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) initiative for non-profits? Please explain your response.
Robert Waterman
Yes, we must support living wages for working people. No longer, should it be acceptable to not pay workers wages that coordinate with the fast and growing economy. These changes can provide a better life for New Yorkers and advance financial equity in our communities.
Tahirah A. Moore
Yes. Grant cycle funding leaves non-profit workers vulnerable to periodic layoffs and agencies improperly funded for the services they are expected to provide. ICR would provide some stability to workers and service-providing nonprofits, overwhelming staffed by Black and brown women. Just as there is in construction work, there should be a prevailing wage for city-contracted human service workers. These hard-working New Yorkers are underpaid and economically vulnerable while serving our senior populations resulting in them often needing the very programs they have worked in.
Chi Ossé
Yes. COLA increase must be a minimum. In addition to the fact that these essential workers deserve pay increases across the board, we must remember that an increase in the cost of living is effectively a decrease in salary. Human service workers should never see a decline in their purchasing power or standard of living, and it is our responsibility as a city to prioritize them.
5. Given that many older New Yorkers rely on limited fixed incomes and would prefer to age in community, rather than entering costly nursing homes, how will you address the need for affordable senior housing with services for a growing older population? How will you evaluate/respond to affordable senior housing proposals during ULURP?
Robert Waterman
The need for affordable housing for seniors is an issue that called me to run for city council. I believe that we need to add new financial protections to the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and expand protections for aging adults who are homeowners from predatory real estate conglomerates.
Tahirah A. Moore
Like many of the US’s cities, New York is having an explosion in the number of Seniors experiencing homelessness. Housing affordability should be tied to real income rather than AMI, which distorts pricing for housing. Having grown up in NYCHA housing, I am a relentless advocate for funding for affordable housing and believe we can triple invest in NYCHA housing by mobilizing City, State and Federal dollars.
Chi Ossé
Affordable housing is a central issue to this district and an important focus to my campaign. Housing is a tenuous reality among our older neighbors. While the ULURP must be reformed, we think the priority is the expansion of section 8, stronger enforcement of protections for individuals and families using the section 8 program, and developing stronger ties between the city and neighborhood tenant associations. I am an advocate for expanding the purse strings of existing fiscal programs that help keep seniors in their apartments and homes.
The NORC status established during the de Blasio administration needs to be a rallying cry. Are we building bridges, even during the pandemic, between senior renters & owners to legal representation and relief funds -- existing and establishing new options via legislature.
One bill I would like to present: Pandemic relief for senior owners of mixed use and residential spaces (four units or less), who have a pre-tax income of $250,000. And, help senior owners establish estate programs. This will help seniors build legacy with their properties and spaces.
Another bill: Expand a One Shot program, geared to retirees and seniors over 62 years of age. Protection during this crisis for utility and rental debt.
The ULURP process for special projects is still important. How are new projects addressing a neighborhood that has NORC status? Are the facilities senior (and capacity) viable? I plan to hire a planning expert to support Community Boards 3 & 8 to interrupt predatory development. This includes evaluating how seniors and emerging seniors are protected and provided.
6. While many older adults wish to be connected, many lack the financial resources or training necessary to fully access technology, exacerbating the digital divide. How would you encourage the City to address this?
Robert Waterman
This pandemic emphasized the importance of investing in our infrastructure. In many homes across New York City, individuals and families were deprived of access to technology and access to broadband services. We must engage in public and private partnerships that support the need to create access that is sustainable and affordable. In addition, understanding the digital divide, we must ensure proper training is provided to our aging adults and their families.
Tahirah A. Moore
The Information Services Resolution passed by City Council in December is a good start to addressing the digital divide but it is too limited. I support free broadband in all NYCHA and affordable housing. I also see enormous promise in creating multi-generational community programming that connects older adults with tech-fluent elementary age children. These programs would not only increase older New Yorkers familiarity with technology vital to life in the 21st century, it would also combat social isolation and build enduring multi-generational relationships that strengthen neighborhoods.
Chi Ossé
I would encourage the city to immediately assess the efficacy of expanding free wifi in our public spaces and the creation of a low cost, publicly funded 5G internet option. From there I would suggest the creation of free, fully funded digital fluency initiatives throughout the city. Historically we have left people to fend for themselves regarding communication - this can no longer continue.
7. During COVID-19, Senior Centers continued to work remotely, offering services in new ways to ensure their clients’ needs were met. To date, providers have not been authorized to operate in-person, despite restaurants, movies, and other entities, which older adults could also attend, being open. Further, community-based organizations, in many cases, have not been leveraged in the new meal delivery system. What are ways that you feel the City should work with nonprofits and engage older adults in the event of a future emergency?
Robert Waterman
As a Pastor, when the pandemic hit, I understood the need to ensure that my church community did its part to serve our congregation and our neighborhood at-large. We’ve delivered meals and encouraged people to vaccinate themselves if they're able to, as measures to provide support, encouragement, and health in a time of dire need. In the future, we need to invest in emergency preparedness to support the financial and labor hardships of New Yorkers when crises hit. It is also vital to form partnerships with nonprofits that service the needs of our aging adults and provide financial support to those organizations as they serve on the frontlines.
Tahirah A. Moore
I am a firm believer that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution. Older adults need to be at the table when plans are made for future emergencies. They know what organizations are providing real services and, with providers, understand how those services could be delivered more effectively. They also know where there are gaps in services and who is affected by them. All city emergency contingency plans should take into consideration the needs of NORCs, Senior Centers, NYCHA residents and elder homeowners.
Chi Ossé
CBOs are integral to the functioning of a community. They provide what most government agencies cannot provide because they are not beholden to the same rules and regulations. Regarding meal delivery, the City should be working with nonprofits to ensure that they can continue their mission effectively, doubly so during an emergency. Often, these nonprofits have the skills and knowledge to carry this out, but are lacking resources. Anywhere that a nonprofit’s abilities exceed those of the city, we should be quick to increase funding for them to be able to carry out their work effectively.
Over the course of my campaign, I have partnered with CBOs such as Universe City, Collective Fare and Brooklyn Packers to make sure that our elders are properly fed and, at a time where access to food is limited, not have to work hard to find nutritious food.
8. With 1 in 5 New Yorkers over the age of 60, what are the changes you would seek to make to create a more age-friendly district? Please consider addressing the physical infrastructure of your district (walkability, accessibility, etc.), health care access, safety net resources, and other district specific items of note.
Robert Waterman
It is imperative that we create a more age-friendly New York City. We can accomplish this in many ways such as ensuring buildings and public transit are mobility accessible, establishing stronger protections in aging facilities to ensure they are safe and secure, and create incentives for businesses to transition to age-friendly establishments.
Tahirah A. Moore
The City must mandate compliance to the Inclusive Design Guidelines for all new buildings in the city. Inclusive Design makes independent living possible for more people over a longer span of their life. We need to extend Inclusive Design to the exterior world as well, ensuring the safe access of our sidewalks, parks, streets and buildings for all New Yorkers. I believe in streamlining our social service programs, including Medicare for all. Access to healthcare in our poorest and oldest neighborhoods has to be prioritized. In addition to the health and wellness programs already available at the City’s Senior Centers, they should host preventive and screening services. We need to greatly increase social security and disability benefits to raise as many Seniors as possible out of poverty.
Chi Ossé
Our infrastructure is lacking, but we already know the necessary steps to improve it. We must commit to all subway stations being ADA compliant. Even in the stations with elevators, the elevators frequently experience breakdowns, leaving those who need them behind. The city should expand maintenance maintenance crews and hours to keep them running.
The district is also lacking medical centers, making access to clinics difficult for those who lack access to private transportation or struggle to use public transportation. The city should facilitate the development of additional clinics in the district.
Senior issues in 36:
Surface transit areas/stops
Medical centers
Access to food
Public/private safety Employment
Senior facility enforcement & protection
A very simple but effective and earnest reply: move monies from bloated budgets like NYPD to true community building agencies or programs. General platform and senior nuances are for building a community that is refreshed to be home. Homes are supposed to be safe, secure, sane and a supplier of peace. Our legacy carriers require nothing less.
9. In the event of a budget shortfall, how would you push for the City to close the gap? Are there agencies or programs you feel should or should not absorb cuts? Please be specific.
Robert Waterman
We are in current need of more resources and we cannot afford to cut the resources for our most vulnerable. I will oppose any cuts to the Department of Aging and subsequent programs that support our senior centers, home-delivered meals, and our NORCs. We’ve lost so much in this pandemic and I am not prepared to strip any resources that may cause more catastrophe to our community’s most vulnerable.
Tahirah A. Moore
One of the tragedies of a 6 billion dollar NYPD budget is that social programs have been pitted against each other to provide basic services to vulnerable New Yorkers. I believe we need to decrease NYPD’s budget and reinvest in the programs that serve Black, brown, poor, disabled, children and older New Yorkers. The time has come to reject any cuts to social services programs, education services (for all ages), housing and public transportation. By diverting money from the NYPD budget spent on military grade equipment, we can begin working towards fully funded and expanding social services that meet the real needs of underserved New Yorkers.
Chi Ossé
We are lucky in that the predicted budget shortfall may not arrive at all. Thanks to increased spending coming in from the federal government, first through the Rescue Act and, soon, through President Biden’s proposed infrastructure bill, billions of dollars will be coming to New York.
Furthermore, the police budget should be cut, with parts of it reallocated to social programs, regardless of the city’s total budget. However, in the event of a budget shortfall, I would like to see police and corrections spending reduced, especially in the areas of military-style equipment and overtime.
10. How should your constituents look to measure your success in achieving your responses outlined above?
Robert Waterman
I would measure my success by the amount of families that are able to put food on the table because we have closed the food insecurity gap and supported fair wages. I will measure my success in the amount of New Yorkers who are able to afford housing and are not pushed out by skyrocketing rent costs in the district. Constituents will be able to see that I advocate for measures that call for improvements around the district in the areas of accessibility and funding towards resources that improve the quality of life for aging constituents, their families, and their interests.
Tahirah A. Moore
Budgets are moral documents and I expect that the people of the 36th district will look at the budget priorities and wins that I make in City Council. They should see more money directed to social programs. They should experience an increase in the quality, quantity and diversity of services available to them as well as ease of access. I anticipate that the people of the 36th district will also pay close attention to the disbursement of Schedule C funds. However, I was born, raised and have chosen to live in the 36th district for my entire life. The people here know me by name and sight. I am not only accountable to them when budgets or legislation are passed, I’m accountable to them every single day. People know me from my time as City Council staff and as an adviser for the Mayor. They know I am responsive to their needs and will fight for their interests even when others have told them there is nothing that can be done about their problem. I grew up in Marcy Houses and know the struggles of the community I will represent.
Chi Ossé
The city council will experience more turnover this year than ever before. With so many open seats, I am optimistic about the possibility that a truly progressive majority assumes office next January. I hope my constituents will measure my success by recognizing the tangible changes our progressive majority is able to vote into thor district. I hope my success will be measured by each working elevator in subway stations, each trash collection day that is not missed, and each meal made available to the folks in our neighborhood who might not have eaten otherwise.