NYC Council Elections 2021: Chris Sosa Seeks UES Seat

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Voters in New York City's 5th Council district, which includes parts of the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, will see seven names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be Christopher Sosa, a former journalist and state senate stafferwho is among the Democrats seeking to replace term-limited incumbent Ben Kallos. (Kallos is running for Manhattan Borough President.)

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Sosa's responses are below.

Age (as of Election Day)

31

Position Sought

City Council District 5

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Neighborhood of residence (i.e., East Village, Astoria, etc.)

Yorkville

Family

My parents Juan and Rebecca live in Virginia, where I grew up. My family is working-class with roots in Appalachia, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No one in my direct family line has ever worked in politics or government. But I should disclose that I have a huge international family, so I can’t speak for all of the distant relatives and cousins!

Education

I completed community college at age 15 and went on to receive a B.A. in Communications Studies from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Occupation

I have over a decade of experience as a journalist and began my transition towards nonprofit and government work in 2015.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

sosafornyc.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I love public service and believe I bring a unique style of ethical leadership that’s almost entirely missing from our current political sphere.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our District is housing. The 89,000 people experiencing homelessness in our City must be provided with care and shelter immediately. As a City Council member, I will lead a fundamental reckoning with New York City's housing system and fight for the rights of tenants and New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. I support permanent supportive housing, a historically successful and affordable solution to the homelessness crisis. This type of housing provides affordable housing assistance in addition to support services that allow people who have experienced homelessness to receive substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and general medical care. I will fight to end landlord harassment and income discrimination. I support penalties for landlords who engage in harassment tactics and improve communication platforms with tenants to ensure proper accountability. One of these platforms would be my own office - I will keep an open door to all residents having problems with their housing.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I stand up for our community even when I have to do it alone. I don’t fold under political pressure. When the shadowy right-wing special interest group InformNYC tried to interfere with our race, I stood up to the group for its dishonest tactics and got the scheduled District 5 forum shut down. My actions led to the cancelation of the InformNYC DA forum as well and exposed their real aims, preventing the dishonest spread of conservative bias as neutral information.

Do you support or oppose the New York Blood Center’s proposed tower and rezoning? If you oppose it, should it be scrapped entirely, or just revised?

I stand with the residents of District 5 and strongly oppose the Blood Center proposal. Both the rezoning and the renovations pose a threat to the surrounding community that we must prevent. I believe that the Blood Center has a right to expand their operations, but not at the cost of reduced sunlight, noise pollution, and severe traffic in the surrounding neighborhood. I will never support a proposal that requires rezoning a beloved mid-sized neighborhood for commercial reasons. I hope that the New York Blood Center will reassess its priorities and develop an entirely new proposal that addresses the issues raised by the community.

Ben Kallos worked to bring a Safe Haven shelter to the district — would you have done the same, and would you do so again for another shelter, if elected?

I commend Ben for his work bringing a Safe Haven shelter to a district that is unfortunately lacking in affordable housing. Expanding support for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness will be one of my top priorities as a member of City Council. I would happily support the establishment of another Safe Haven shelter in our District.

While police statistics show crime mostly dropping on the Upper East Side, many residents report feeling less safe in the neighborhood than they used to. Why do you think this is, and is adding more police the way to solve it?

The pandemic and subsequent economic recession had a major impact on our community, and it’s understandable that our residents were left feeling shaken despite the low crime rates. Increasing police presence on the subway won’t solve the root causes of crime in our City. Instead, we need increased funding for social services that will combat homelessness, mental illness, and extreme poverty.

What single policy would you advocate for to make housing more affordable on the Upper East Side?

I will work to expand our City’s rent voucher program to cover all residents in need, not just those at immediate risk of homelessness or currently experiencing homelessness. I’ll also work to increase vouchers so that they cover the total amount of rent for recipients.

Would you push to add more bike lanes in the district?

Absolutely. I’ll also support the expansion of both CitiBikes and e-bike infrastructure in every part of the City.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s response was marked by scandal and corruption. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s response was ineffective. And President Trump’s response was a global embarrassment. City officials did their best amid an absolute crisis of leadership from multiple angles. I’d start by ensuring we elect capable and honest leaders, then expand our city’s pandemic response preparedness including interagency communications and procedures to more rapidly synthesize data and implement policy.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My platform is a values-centered one. It shows that I believe that every child deserves a world-class education. It addresses how I will work to create a community infrastructure that is inclusive to all residents, including seniors, New Yorkers with disabilities, and immigrants. It details my plan to refund the community by reallocating NYPD funds towards social services that have been chronically underfunded for years. It emphasizes my commitment to a just economic recovery that prioritizes our small businesses and the workers who ensure their success. To read it in full, visit my website: https://sosafornyc.com/values

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have extensive experience helping to pass legislation in the New York State Senate, including the New York State DREAM Act, which granted undocumented students equal access to funding for higher education. I've also served the public as a journalist and an advocate in the non-profit sector. I've served the public from every angle, and now I'm ready to serve my community as City Council member.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

This is an impossible question to answer. I’ve had so many wonderful influences in my life. But I can share with you the message I’ve taken from them: Always lead with altruism. Be willing to break with the crowd. Treat every life with dignity.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I'm running in a crowded and competitive race without local machine support. My campaign is a people-powered effort that’s received the lowest average donation amount of any candidate in the race and more individual donations than the top-funded opponent. I've received endorsements from various leaders and organizations that include Council Member Carlos Menchaca, President of Black Lives Matter Brooklyn Anthony Beckford, international security expert Jonathan Cristol, Future Steps US, and Grassroots Law Project. As one of the only ethical vegans running for office, I'm being supported with endorsement or rank by every animal rights organization in the City. As the next City Council member for District 5 I will unite the community and fight for a strong and just recovery for all New Yorkers.