City Council Candidate Responses
District 6
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.
Sara Lind
I’m an attorney, a former nonprofit executive, and mom of two young children. I have experience navigating the sharp corners of Corporate America, the bureaucracy of government, and the shoestring budgets of the nonprofit world. I currently live with my husband, two children, and mother in law. I’m officially part of the ‘sandwich generation,’ caring for children and parents at the same time. We feel very fortunate that we have the resources to do this. Sadly, this is not the case for so many seniors who cannot afford to live independently because we do not have enough affordable housing and housing assistance. New York let’s people enter the shelter system before they can be considered for permanent housing. I serve on the Community Board, The School Leadership Team for PS 166, and on the County Committee.
Gale Brewer
Background: Manhattan Borough President (2014-2021); City Council (2002-2013); I served as director of scheduling for Mary Anne Krupsak, the former Lieutenant Governor of New York (1975-1978); from 1978 to 1990, I was chief of staff to then-New York City Council member Ruth Messinger. From 1990 to 1994, I was director of the New York City Office of Federal Relations in New York in the administration of David Dinkins and the Chair of the Commission on Status of Women. From 1994 to 1998, I was Deputy Public Advocate for Intergovernmental Affairs under Mark J. Green. I then served as Project Manager for the NYC Nonprofits Project at the CUNY Graduate School and worked with the Telesis Corporation, a private firm that builds affordable housing. I was a member of Manhattan's Community Board 7 and Chair of the New York State chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus In my role as Borough President, I have been chair of the Large Cities Committee and a Member of the federal Human Development Committee at the National League of Cities. I have also been a Member of the Board of Eleanor’s Legacy. In 2000, I was cited by the New York Daily News as #20 of "50 New Yorkers to Watch.” Regarding engaging older adults: Initiator of Age-Friendly NY and member of the Task Force for 10 plus years; implemented program on UWS with benches, grocery store support for older customers, and curb cut repair. Founder of program with GrowNYC that gets fresh fruit and vegies to seniors all over Manhattan. Sponsor of Paid Sick Days law and of the Caregiver Law. During the pandemic, worked non stop with Fresh Direct to feed seniors living in NYCHA developments, to support the homebound seniors when the vaccine became available, and to advocate that the senior centers open in May 2021 in NYC as the coffee shops and gyms are open and seniors need friends, scratch food and exercise. I have supported OATS since its inception and believe in getting older adults the support they need for tech use. I have worked with many nonprofits to support senior, affordable housing (Project FIND, Goddard, WSFSSH) and I have worked to get older adults in NYS prisons out of incarceration. I am a supporter of SAGE and its excellent programs.
2. As we live longer and healthier lives, what are your priorities with respect to promoting equity across all ages in our City?
Sara Lind
My number one priority is affordable housing.
-Promote services for seniors like the Home Sharing Program so that they can age-in-place instead of aging into poverty
-Build more affordable housing units with services for seniors that help them live independently with support for cleaning, cooking, transportation, etc.
-Expand SCRIE to make sure seniors can stay in their homes
Invest in transportation services that serve the needs of seniors, including -Access-a-Ride and expanded bus service
Additionally, we need to make sure healthcare supports the needs of seniors - including vision, dental, and hearing. But more importantly, home health care is one of the fastest growing industries as we live longer. My plans include:
-Supporting comprehensive Medicare that includes home health aides
-Building upon New York’s paid family leave program for caretakers caring for ailing relatives
-Expanding disability programs for seniors to qualify for grab bars, safety rails, delivery services for food, transportation to doctors, etc.
-Preventing isolation by funding services for friendly visits from volunteers and social workers.
Gale Brewer
Ageism is evident in the work place, the media, and even in families. My priorities include initiating and supporting affordable opportunities at cultural institutions, academic institutions, restaurants, gyms and any other venue that gives older adults that ability to mix with different age groups, and others to mix with the older adults. Mentorships by adults and tech classes by youth is an example of successful intergenerational work.
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.
Sara Lind
Yes. My district is home to one of the largest populations of seniors in the city. Two areas of particular concern to me are making sure we can provide caretakers who make a living wage with reasonable hours, and expanding mental health treatment, especially for homebound seniors.
In terms of caretakers, this includes caring for health and also tasks like paying bills, etc.
Gale Brewer
DFTA needs to fund centers so that they can attract a wider range of older adults, which means additional funding for technology, trips to cultural institutions, and classes on many topics. Senior Centers also need to include staff and kitchens that produce scratch, healthy, locally sourced food. NORCS need to be funded to address isolation and any mental health issues that might exist in buildings or a block where many seniors live. The arts and exercise must be included in all programming, and I would advocate for funding for these efforts and others.
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.
Sara Lind
Yes. These are the people doing the work on the ground in the community, often plugging the gaps for government. They deserve to be compensated fairly for their service.
Gale Brewer
I support the COLA and the ICR for non-profits, and have written to the Mayor on several occasions to advocate. The executive budget, with the influx of federal stimulus funds, does focus on these important issues.
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?
Sara Lind
As I mentioned above, my number one priority is affordable housing, and I would specifically allocate affordable housing for seniors in this district. If presented with a ULURP proposal that would build affordable senior housing I would be in favor. Obviously I would work with the community to ensure that the project makes sense, but this would be a top priority for me.
Gale Brewer
I have supported senior housing, such as on the Elizabeth St. Garden aka Haven Green even when community members opposed the project. I am advocating now for vacant hotels to be converted to housing for low-income older adults. I have worked with NYCHA to increase the number of their senior buildings. We need more frequent and better paid home health aides for the growing senior population so they can stay in their homes; the infrastructure bill might produce the necessary funding. If seniors cannot stay at home, there is a desperate need in Manhattan for affordable assisted living; most of it is unaffordable to most New Yorkers.
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?
Sara Lind
Every New Yorker must have access to high speed internet and a connected device starting in elementary school. That includes seniors. I support city funded resources for those who cannot afford access themselves.
Gale Brewer
“I felt the world was passing me by, but now I feel I’m part of it again” is what what one senior told Tom Kamber, CEO, OATS when the person got a device, got trained on how to use it, and found out how useful Senior Planet is as a weekly informational email. I worked to get computers installed in a community room in NYCHA and in a week they were all stolen. We were able to replace them but it was only a successful operation when we were able to fund a computer teacher who was patient and understanding and bi-lingual. The City has to provide devices, training, and a faster, affordable internet connection. We learned during the pandemic how difficult it is for many older adults to use tele-medicine, make appointments, or communicate with family because they are not tech savvy.
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?
Sara Lind
I have issues with the city’s priorities in terms of opening operations throughout the pandemic. Community and social services should be prioritized. We’ve learned through this pandemic who the essential workers really are. I believe we need to redefine essential workers moving forward to include the community organizations that are doing the work on the ground.
Gale Brewer
As Borough President, I have led the fight to open the senior centers. During the worst days of Covid-19, we were on the front line to get food to homebound seniors, to improve the quality of the food they received (as well as the Halal and Kosher), and to untangle the lists and the platform from which lists of seniors needing food originated from. Center staff was there to make wellness calls and provide support in many ways. In the future: 1. Know the apartment location and needs of the homebound and address them 2. Streamline the food distribution process and oversee the quality 3. respond positively to the concerns and advice of the excellent senior center staff 4. Fund the senior centers fully 5. In the pandemic, the nursing homes were not supported; I had to drop off PPE and as we know too many residents died because of the lack of attention to their needs.
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.
Sara Lind
Walkability is one of my top priorities and there is much we can do to make our streets safer for all users, especially seniors. Things like adding pedestrian refuge islands, improving curb cuts, adding neckdowns at intersections, and more, can make our pedestrians much safer. We are lucky to have many healthcare resources in our community, but I would continue to work to make sure that everyone can access the healthcare they need. Ensuring food security is also a top priority of mine.
Gale Brewer
In the 6th Council District, older adults like to walk to shop, go to the doctor or visit. Cars and bicycles need to follow all rules of the road, and they do not. Curb cuts need to all be in working order and not broken as seniors and those who are disabled rely on them. More Accessible Pedestrian Signals would be helpful to everyone. Lots of benches on the sidewalks and bathrooms are necessary. Seniors also take the bus and sometimes it does not pull into the curb for a wheelchair or for someone using a walker. In the winter, bus stops are not cleared quickly of the snow. Seniors want their own time to swim at the City recreation center pools, and they would like the same at grocery stores, the Apple store, and venues that are noisy. They all want discounted tickets to Broadway, other performances and restaurants. In the parks, they know that they cannot enter a playground unless they are with a child but they would like their own space. It is preferable that doors to stores open automatically, and that in grocery stores the staff is friendly, the items can be reached, and there are small portions in packages appropriate for one person.
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.
Sara Lind
I believe that we should reinvest in our communities and that spending money effectively to support services would reduce the need for a large police budget. We need police to be there in the event of violent crime, but investing in our communities is a better use of money.
Gale Brewer
Currently, the federal stimulus funds have given the City the opportunity to fund programs. Programs that feed people, provide home health aides, staff and program senior centers and affordable housing should not be cut. Programs such as NORCs that provide support so that people can age at home must be fully funded; they are cost effective compared to a nursing home. It is not clear to me what some of the for-profit adult social day care centers are doing when they bill Medicaid for services that the seniors may not need. They need to be fully investigated to determine if the public dollars are being spent appropriately. I would cut them out of the senior center business.
10. How should your constituents look to measure your success in achieving your responses outlined above?
Sara Lind
Over the past 20 years housing costs, homelessness, vacant storefronts, and weather disasters have increased to a level that is completely unacceptable. These are the areas I want to focus on fixing in my district, and citywide.
Gale Brewer
Success should be measured by the health of the community as DOHMH does every year; by the budget support that I offer to the older adult programs; and by the amount of collaboration with LiveOn, AARP and all of the senior service organizations that work so hard in our communities.