THE ISSUES
Affordable Housing
Our residents deserve safe and affordable housing to call home. Henry who was raised in Tompkins Houses will stand with NYCHA residents and fight to get much needed repairs and safety improvements that are long overdue. Henry worked with the Sumner Houses Tenant Association to guarantee that affordable senior housing is built on Sumner's open space. Henry as District Manager was successful in procuring funding for the Bed-Stuy Housing Initiative, which will build over 600 units of truly affordable housing.
Education
Education is the cornerstone of a strong and prosperous New York. Henry believes when we invest in high quality teachers, upgrade classroom technology, and give schools the resources and support they need to flourish, we increase the odds of our children succeeding exponentially. Henry also believes in the Community School Model which has been proven to be beneficial by serving the needs of a child not just educationally, but also their emotional, social and physical needs.
Reforming Policing & Criminal Justice
Henry supports re-prioritizing NYPDs budget to focus on fostering police/community relations and a demilitarization of our police department. Law enforcement members should be required to take ongoing continued education classes throughout their careers. Henry is also a strong supporter of the entire police reform legislative package in Albany including repealing 50a.
Election Reform
Henry supports common sense election reforms like automatic voter registration when you turn 18, no excuse absentee voting, and reducing the window when party enrollment changes take effect. Henry also believes we need greater training, transparency, and accountability at the Board of Elections so the public can have greater confidence in how we conduct our elections.
Environment & Environmental Justice
Climate change is arguably the biggest threat to mankind. Henry believes that our city and state must get 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This includes continuing a statewide ban on fracking and investing in green renewables like wind and solar. In addition, as we plan, we must acknowledge that for decades black and brown communities have been used as a dumping ground for government sponsored pollution which has led to higher cancer and asthma rates compared to white, more affluent neighborhoods.
Jobs
Henry will work with businesses, organized labor, and non-profit organizations that provide job training and career certifications, to bring quality jobs and career opportunities to the district, ensuring the security every family needs to prosper. Additionally, we need to do more to support our small businesses so they are able to compete against big box stores and online retailers. Henry supports giving tax credits to start ups and small businesses during their first 3 years in order to facilitate growth and competitiveness.
Labor
Henry knows first hand how vital organized labor is to the expansion and protection of the middle-class. Henry has been a 21 year member of labor unions, first spending 7 years as a member of Local 371 while working for ACS as a caseworker and with NYCHA as the Assistant Director of Lafayette Gardens Community Center. Henry was also a 14 year member of TWU Local 100 as a subway conductor, political organizer, and shop steward. Henry believes government should serve as a partner in fostering career opportunities and feels strongly that the more men and women we can train through comprehensive apprenticeship programs benefits New York's economy and expands the middle-class.
Senior Issues
Our seniors have spent their whole lives providing for their families and building our community, isn’t it time someone has their back? Henry has been and will continue to be a strong advocate for our seniors. Henry will make sure programs our seniors depend on, such as the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) stay fully funded and provide our seniors the benefits they need. Bedford Stuyvesant and North Crown Heights has been designated a "Naturally Occurring Retirement Community" (NORC) by the City, and Henry will make sure our seniors receive the resources that this designation is supposed to provide.