Central Harlem City Council seat challengers face off in forum
NEW YORK - The three challengers for the Central Harlem City Council seat faced off on issues important to the neighborhood Thursday. They joined a forum without the incumbent Kristin Richardson Jordan, bringing similar messages from different perspectives.
One of the largest community organizations, the Greater Harlem Coalition, along with the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association and neighborhood advocate Shatic Mitchell, wanted to hear direct answers to their concerns before choosing next session's District 9 council representative.
"We are working for a vibrant, clean, tolerant and safe Harlem where we all can thrive," said Syderia Asberry-Chresfield, co-founder of Greater Harlem Coalition.
Jordan declined the invitation to participate in the virtual forum, speaking instead to constituents at a tenant town hall hosted by PALANTE Harlem last week. Her challengers include Exonerated 5 member and political newcomer Yusef Salaam and two State Assembly members, Al Taylor and former council seat holder Inez Dickens.
Most questions centered on the disproportionate distribution of drug treatment facilities in the neighborhood.
"They need to have their sites in their communities, just like we have them in ours," Dickens said of other boroughs.
"The mayor is thinking about changing public office space into housing," pointed out Taylor, offering the vacancy farther south as an option for addiction centers. "Why don't we look to use some of those facilities? Because if we build it, they'll come to it."
"All the boroughs need to receive their fair share," Salaam agreed, "and we shouldn't be a dumping grounds."
Solutions included educational programs inside the sites to encourage new skillsets.
"People need to feel redeemed," emphasized Taylor. "They need to feel whole. They need to feel valuable. They don't want a hand out. They want a hand up."
The other topic top of mind was housing and the controversial One45 development. One proposed as a mixed-income apartment complex, the site is now home to a truck depot after Jordan's demands to increase affordability.
"It required the ability to understand how you can build it with the highest number of units at the lowest AMI without killing the development," said Dickens.
"We need affordable housing yesterday," Salaam said, "and we need to incentivize all the developers that are coming into our community, telling us they want to build and develop."
Without attacking the incumbent directly, each of her challengers pointed to a different approach, offering options when it comes time to vote.
The primary election for the District 9 seat happens June 27.
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