Lander Releases “A Better Deal for Black New Yorkers,” A Platform to Reduce the Racial Wealth Gap and Increase Opportunity, in Partnership with Black Leaders
At National Action Network’s Saturday Action Rally, Lander announced his plan for expanding and protecting Black homeownership, entrepreneurship, safety, health, arts and culture.
Plan was developed in consultation with Black leaders supporting Lander, including Jumaane Williams, Khaleel Anderson, author Heather McGhee, and others.
Watch the recorded event here. Read the full plan here.
NEW YORK, NY — At Reverend Al Sharpton’s weekly National Action Network Saturday Action Rally, City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander unveiled “A Better Deal for Black New Yorkers,” his plan for expanding and protecting Black homeownership, entrepreneurship, safety, health, arts and culture as mayor.
Lander’s plan comes with support from a cohort of Black leaders including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assemblymembers Khaleel Anderson, Phara Souffrant Forrest, and Monique Chandler Waterman, Council Members Sandy Nurse and Chi Ossé, author of The Sum of Us Heather McGhee, and others.
“Black New Yorkers have been let down: by a racial wealth gap that is far greater than the nation’s as a whole, by an affordability crisis that is driving Black families out of their city, by a City government marred by corruption – and now by a President who is assaulting civil rights every day,” said Brad Lander. “Too often, it feels like Black New Yorkers have done more for New York City than New York City has done for Black New Yorkers – and this is a critical moment to turn it around. By renewing the pathway to Black homeownership, supporting entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, and investing seriously in the safety, health, and culture of New York City’s diverse Black communities, New York City can respect, preserve, and strengthen its diverse Black communities, even during – especially during – a time of racial backlash from this racist President.”
Lander’s plan outlines pathways to:
1. Expand and protect Black homeownership & housing opportunities in NYC
Build a new generation of affordable co-ops for working- and middle-class families, a substantial portion of the homes built as part of Brad’s housing plan.
Enable New York City municipal employees to achieve home ownership through Brad’s Homes for City Workers program.
Prevent racial discrimination in the housing market by passing legislation to require co-ops to provide a reason for any denying applicants.
Help young Black professionals find housing to stay here by exploring the creation of a stipend program for recent graduates to go toward monthly rent or be used as a down payment for a home.
Rehabilitate thousands of NYCHA units each year through multiple pathways for comprehensive rehabilitation, chosen by majority resident vote, and implement “Yelp for NYCHA Repairs” to hold contractors accountable and get repairs done.
2. Support Black entrepreneurship and economic opportunity
Double the size of the City’s M/WBE program by expanding it to cover the City’s billions of dollars in nonprofit and emergency contracts.
Create a new Minority Business Accelerator to help growth-stage businesses scale by providing access to capital, technical assistance, and support.
Deposit more City resources with Black-owned and Minority Depository Institutions and continue to advance diverse and emerging managers for the City’s pension funds.
Pilot free CUNY education for public service jobs with the City, like public school teachers, nurses, child care workers, social workers and cops.
Make SYEP universally accessible, beginning with universal access for young people in NYCHA, and neighborhoods with higher rates of gun violence.
3. Invest in safety, health, arts and culture in NYC’s diverse Black communities
Support and support the City’s Crisis Management System, a network of community violence intervention organizations, to decrease gun violence.
Expand and strengthen evidence-based, community-led strategies proven to reduce violence and interrupt cycles of retaliatory violence.
Address unacceptable racial inequities in maternal health and mortality for Black women by improving health care for Black women and building a pipeline of Black doulas and midwives, in a partnership including H+H and CUNY.
Safeguard and celebrate Black culture and history by significantly increasing funding and support for individual Black artists, small arts organizations, and borough-based local arts councils.
Lander’s plan was crafted in close partnership with a group of Black electeds and community leaders, including NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson, author of The Sum of Us Heather McGhee, and more.
“In the Trumpian era of demonizing and slashing DEI programs in an attempt to rewrite our country’s history, Black New Yorkers are in immediate need of specific Trump resistant plans and support from their local governments — and Brad Lander’s ‘A Better Deal for Black New Yorkers’ will help do exactly that,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. “While the federal government fires qualified workers for no other reason than the color of their skin, under Brad’s plan, New York will double down efforts on hiring, housing, economic independence in Black communities in fierce defiance of the latest wave of racism sweeping across our country. New York will remain a home for everyone.”
“Black New Yorkers don’t need another leader in City Hall in this to just serve their own ambitions, who will give our communities lip service just to be engulfed by corruption and scandal,” said Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson. “From passing the Community Safety Act to his decades in affordable housing, Brad Lander’s entire career has benefited Black New Yorkers — and unveiling the most comprehensive Black agenda in the mayoral race is just further reason why I’m proud to rank him #1 on my ballot on June 24.”
“Building Black wealth is the missing piece for building back New York,” said Heather McGhee, author of The Sum of Us, an incisive analysis of how racism harms all of us, including white people, and how overcoming it will yield a solidarity dividend. “For generations, Black New Yorkers have contributed so much to the city through culture, public service and entrepreneurship—but the city hasn’t invested enough in our wealth, health and homeownership. Brad Lander has the values, vision and — most importantly — the skills to deliver on the debt to Black New Yorkers.”
“Our communities continue to fight against the systematic impact of housing inequities and roadblocks to opportunities to grow wealth, including lack of access to real affordable housing. Many are leaving the City at record rates due to the affordability crisis and lack of support from local government. It is time to usher in a new era of prosperity for our community,” said Assemblymember Monique Chandler Waterman. “Brad’s plan maps out an intelligent and thoughtful way forward to keep black communities in their homes and families in our city.”
“Black New Yorkers have long contributed to the heartbeat of this city, yet too often our needs are sidelined. Which is why I’ve worked with black city & state elected to create The ‘Black Print’ which is our vision-a bold, unapologetic roadmap that centers our voices, our communities, and our future,” said Council Member Althea Stevens. “I’m proud to stand with Black leaders and allies like Brad Lander who are committed to making equity more than just a promise, but a policy as he releases his vision for black New Yorkers.”
“I’ve known Brad Lander to be a leader of great integrity and compassion, so it didn’t surprise me that he’s the first ally in the mayoral race to release a platform on how his mayoralship will deeply benefit the Black community,” said Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forest. “Brad reached out to the City’s top Black leaders to help write this comprehensive roadmap, which will finally give our community the resources we need to thrive in this city.”
“It’s past time we see leadership from our elected officials in support of Black New Yorkers, and I support Brad Lander’s thoughtful and detailed mayoral plan to invest in our communities,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse. “In this plan, he’s not just calling out the disparities; he’s providing clear ways the City can work to fix them. I was proud to endorse him earlier this month.”
“At a time when the man occupying the White House is trying to scrub equity from our national discourse, and Gracie Mansion is in turmoil, Brad is addressing the needs of Black communities explicitly, wisely and effectively. All New Yorkers will be greater for it,” said organizer and writer Mark Winston Griffith.
“I have partnered with Brad for more than 25 years. By proposing to build the financial strength of Black New Yorkers, Brad Lander again demonstrates great courage and insight, as well as a commitment to the well being of all New Yorkers, not just Black New Yorkers,” said Colvin W. Grannum, retired CEO of NYC’s premier Black-led community development organizations. “Increasing the financial strength of working families is highly correlated with increased stability in employment and housing as well as higher levels of educational attainment and health outcomes. Benefits in that contribute to a stronger workforce and much safer city. We all win if Brad prevails on this agenda.”
“Brad is looking out for ALL New Yorkers. I am so proud to support him. He wants to make our city a place where everyone’s rights are protected, and we all have the opportunity to thrive,” said actress and director Nikki James, who recently played activist Ida B. Wells in the musical Suffs on Broadway.
“Brad has spent years understanding and addressing the challenges faced by Black New Yorkers — and it shows in his platform. I’m especially enthused by his commitment to uplifting and protecting cultural institutions and artists, especially in communities of color,” said cultural philanthropist Victoria Rodgers. “Throughout Brad’s career, he has demonstrated that he is capable of envisioning and implementing solutions for complex problems, and that’s why I’m supporting his campaign for mayor.”
Lander’s campaign has also been endorsed by a broad coalition of Black electeds and is supported by the deepest and widest coalition in the race. This includes Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson, Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forest, Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman, Council Member Sandy Nurse, and Council Member Chi Ossé.
Lander is a longtime ally in fights for racial justice. In the City Council, Lander led efforts to desegregate the middle schools of Brooklyn’s District 15. He worked alongside Jumaane Williams to pass the Community Safety Act, helping to end discriminatory stop-and-frisk by the NYPD and create the Office of the NYPD Inspector General. His legislation and budget advocacy expanded the NYC Commission on Human Rights and won better jobs and working conditions for tens of thousands of workers of color. Lander commissioned the first ever Racial Impact Study for the Gowanus Rezoning, part of his three-decades of work to combat housing and land-use inequities, creating and preserving over 50,000 homes, predominantly for Black and Latino New Yorkers.
As Comptroller, Lander conducted the first study on New York’s racial wealth gap, which found this gap is even greater in New York (15 to 1) than in the rest of the country as a whole (9 to 1). Through Brad’s leadership as Comptroller, the City’s pension funds investments with MWBE asset managers have increased by over $6 billion, a 37% increase.
Read the plan here.
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