By Gus Saltonstall
New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer is an Upper West Side staple. She has represented the 6th district for 13 of the past 21 years and won her most recent election with 87 percent of the vote. In an eight-year hiatus from the Council, she served two terms as Manhattan Borough President. Her latest challenger for the Council seat is Republican Diane di Stasio, whom the West Side Rag interviewed last week.
The Rag continues its coverage of the upcoming November 7 general election in the following conversation with Councilmember Brewer. It has been condensed and edited for clarity.
West Side Rag: What would you say is the single most pressing issue currently facing the Upper West Side?
Gale Brewer: It depends who you are. If you’re a parent of children in school, it’s schools. If you’re a senior, it’s getting around: the buses have to come, the stores have to be accessible, your senior center has to be open and have activities. If you live in a NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] development, it’s making sure NYCHA repairs are being made. If you are none of the above, you might be concerned about the quality of life, meaning e-bikes, people with mental-health challenges, graffiti, and you’re also concerned about vacant stores. If you’re a young person trying to find an apartment, that’s a challenge. People have specific interests depending on what they’re coming from. Everybody wants transportation. Everybody wants public safety.
WSR: On the subject of public safety, more major crime statistics are down on the Upper West Side and citywide this year than not, but a sense of elevated anxiety surrounding safety remains. Why is that and how are you working to make people feel safer on the Upper West Side?
GB: The problem with crime statistics being down slightly is that mental health issues don’t seem to register on the crime reports. I go to all the 20th, 24th, and Central Park precinct meetings, and yes, the commanding officers generally say crime is down and they give the seven categories. The problem is mental health is not on there. Somebody who is wandering around…sometimes standing in front of a business, sometimes screaming profanities…those aren’t going to register and that’s a problem…I would love to have more social workers working with the cops such as in the B-HEARD program in Harlem.
Outside of that, my office answers complaints [about homeless people], and we try to get Goddard Riverside’s outreach team to help. On a citywide level, we need more beds at Bellevue and at local hospitals that focus on mental illness. I’ve been to Riker’s Island many time and that’s not the place for them.
I supported the safe haven on 83rd Street, which I know was very controversial. But to the best of my knowledge, we have not had any problems since people have moved in. And it does take people right off the streets, if they will go. We have [formed] a community advisory task force, which has been briefed by Breaking Ground — the safe haven’s provider. I’ve personally helped bring homeless people who have come to my office to 83rd Street. These people would not have had a place to go outside of the streets if it were not for this safe haven.
WSR: Similar to some temporary homeless shelters during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a few temporary facilities for migrant housing were opened on very short notice from the city on the Upper West Side. As the crisis continues to develop, what do you see as your role and the Upper West Side’s role in the situation?
GB: We have six or seven hotels with migrants in the district. The ones that were most challenging were the ones with single adults. Those were originally on 85th Street and 70th Street. It is really difficult for singles to be in the neighborhood. I was instrumental in getting those hotels changed to families. So now, all the migrant hotels on the Upper West Side are for families. It makes a huge difference. Families have to pay attention to their kids, and it gives them less time to be out in the neighborhood. And we can help with the support they need with education, legal work, and language learning.
It wasn’t great with the individuals, to be honest with you. We’re very different than the Midtown situation where there are very few people living there, or Randall’s Island, where definitely nobody lives there. I think with families, it’s a better mix because people really want their kids to succeed. Those two hotels were the only ones my office heard about. The other ones in the neighborhood were all families and very quiet.
WSR: The shelter conversation is one that leads into the permanent affordable housing subject. You’ve talked for a long time about the need to build more affordable housing in the district, and that’s connected to your recent opposition to the incoming 59th Street homeless shelter. How are you looking to create new affordable units on the Upper West Side?
GB: We’re one of those neighborhoods that is overbuilt. Let me give you an example. Who knows how long these migrant families at 70th or 85th Streets are going to be here. The buildings are owned by a for-profit music school [American Musical and Dramatic Academy] that has basically moved their students downtown permanently. If I had my way, once the migrants move on, and they will, those buildings should be purchased by a nonprofit — Goddard Riverside or West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, any of those. And they should become permanent housing. Make them Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing. For seniors in particular, it works really well.
We don’t have a lot of land available. Wherever there is an SRO available to purchase, I want a nonprofit to do it. There are other SROs that all of a sudden become available and the city needs to help us purchase these buildings. I wish I could tell you about other ongoing large projects that would provide permanent housing. At the Amsterdam Houses we have 40 empty apartments that I’ve been pushing at every possible discussion with the NYCHA commissioner to say please focus on fixing up the affordable vacant housing.
WSR: Along with housing, street safety continues to be a major issue on the Upper West Side. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is putting together new regulations for the permanent Outdoor Dining program. Locals talk a lot about how busy Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues have become with the motorized vehicles, the bikes, the outdoor dining, and the cars. What do you see as the right solution to keep our streets safe as they are getting increasingly crowded?
GB: Columbus Avenue is really a challenge but there is a pilot program going on. The Department of Transportation is working with the Columbus Avenue BID, because you’ve got the bike lane, you’ve got the delivery people, you got the outdoor cafes, and sometimes there’s only one lane down the avenue. We do need something different in terms of what the streets look like in places like that. You’ve got 18 wheelers as well as all the delivery trucks, Fresh Direct and Amazon. So let’s see what [DOT] comes up with.
In terms of outdoor dining. I supported the bill that passed in the City Council. I think the current structures have to be taken down, that’s for sure. They’re only going to be up from April to November. Additionally, fewer will be up because they will now be charged money. The restaurants will have to scale their outdoor structures, you can’t take up the entire block. Table and chairs will have to be on the pavement, you can have some type of barricade but it won’t look like a house. So people will find fewer structures and they will be less obtrusive and up for a shorter time.
WSR: What accomplishment from your most recent term would you cite as a job well done?
GB: I’d say a couple of things. We have given the schools a great deal of funding. In Riverside Park, I got $63 million for the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and we got millions more for playground upgrades.
We’re trying to manage the migrant crisis. I support migrants. However, people have to know the rules of the neighborhood. We have parents organizing to work with the migrants, who are helping all of the schools that have migrants. That’s a task force we’ve helped foster on the issue.
I’m also proud of the work we’ve done just generally in NYCHA. In one development, we’ve hired three people, who have support through funding to go door to door, trying to get people jobs, making sure the kids have things to do, supporting the basketball activities.
We’re also always proud of the constituents’ service. People rely on our offices in ways you couldn’t even imagine.
And the fact that we have a really good staff at City Hall for the Investigation and Oversight Committee. It’s not a usual legislative committee. We do tons of investigations. I’m proud because this type of staffing has not existed at the Council level for a very long time.
WSR: How much do you rely on the Upper West Side being a Democratic district when it comes to the general election?
GB: In my case, I think it is a little different, because people do know me, both as a borough president and through our constituent services. We try really hard to answer almost every question at the district office. For me, I’m sure there are lots of Republicans and lots of Independents in the district, people do come up to me, between the e-bikes and the mental-health issues on the street, saying that they feel scared, I do hear that a lot, but people at least seem to know we’re trying.
It’s not just that the Upper West Side is Democratic, it’s that people know we’re giving it our best effort, trying to solve some of these problems, even when they’re not all solvable, but people respect the effort.
WSR: Anything else you would say to the voter?
GB: That we will continue to work as hard as we are now, and that we love ideas on how we could improve the neighborhood, and we appreciate criticism as well as compliments, we like both. There are very challenging problems that I would like to address, and I hope that my long experience will help move them along. I can, at least, get some traction on these issues…not that I’m special, but I think the traction that I have from my past is helpful. I find it when I’m speaking to my colleagues, talking to city agencies, people are very generous with their time, and I think it’s because of my knowledge of how the agencies work and having a good relationship with them — then getting them to do what they’re supposed to do. I have the knowledge of what the agency can or cannot do.
It’s just faster with my experience. People want results. People want government to be responsive and I try to make it responsive. That’s why I run. Government is paid for by the taxpayers, and it should be responsive to them, but it’s often not — so I try to make it responsive.
The general election is on November 7. For everything you need to know to vote, from registering (online) to casting your ballot, check the New York State Board of Elections website here.
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I don’t think she has done a particularly good job. During the height of covid she allowed and/ or supported the city government to move the homeless into 3 hotels on the UWS. The concept was a good one for sure, these people need our help, but never offering solutions or help to these people or dealing with the root cause of their challenge and paying the hotel owners rack rates ($300 a night) who BTW were also DiBlasio supporters is highly disturbing.
Turned on MSNBC yesterday to a squeaking cringed faced Mad Hatter of a man spitting out ridiculous sentences with much hatred while going into court OMG realizing that I would never survive having this creature and his gang/followers in any form of office again!
Yet knowing I have not always agreed with Gail Brewers choices but knowing INTEGRITY is her middle name and the UWS knows who she is.
SO IN A SHAKY WORLD AND WITH THAT IN MIND
GAIL BREWER YOU HAVE MY VOTE!
I don’t think anyone here denies Ms. Brewer’s integrity. It’s just that the needs of the neighborhood have changed whereas Ms. Brewer has not.
Are you aware that this is a local city council election. Not national. If your happy with the state of the district, God Bless. But I don’t see it.
“but people at least seem to know we’re trying.”….
“Government is paid for by the taxpayers, and it should be responsive to them, but it’s often not”
GB says –
Trying? How about enforcement? Or give the police back their capability to arrest, and get rid of bail reform…
Yet she intends to run again?
What exactly has she done to address the downward spiral of the UWS?
Columbus Ave? What about Amsterdam Ave?
For the sake of the city, please vote out these limousine liberals!
Her party has a supermajority! If she can’t get things done in that environment, she is incompetent.
Serious question: “give the police back their capability to arrest.” what is interfering with police capacity to arrest? (outside of stop and frisk?)
Thanks for this, I’m always not sure what is being referred to here, it’s not bail reform since that only occurs after a suspect has been arrested
Nothing. They also don’t want to do basic traffic enforcement because many cops see that as beneath them
This reads as though public safety and quality of life is an afterthought. Walking with your children or walking after dark and feeling safe is an afterthought. For Gale Brewer to want more SRO’s is terrifying. The city department heads take advantage of the SRO’s here and open unaccountable shelters left and right at will.
Einstein: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results”.
You are so right. A once thriving convenient neighborhood is now useless and dangerous. No stores and filthy streets with homeless crazies living on w.72nd st. All possessions on the sidewalk. And WHY are there bottle machines in front of Fairway? Who thought a major and once fine block would be a great place for huge garbage bags of empty cans? Gale Brewer should go and open shelters and allow filth in another neighborhood. She’s already ruined this one.
“If you’re a young person trying to find an apartment, that’s a challenge.”
Unfortunately, Gale Brewer is only concerned about the housing situations for the homeless, illegal migrants, people in public housing and entitled folks living decades for next to nothing in rent regulated apartments.
If you’re young and productive and hoping to live in this neighborhood Brewer couldn’t care less about you and you have to pay bloated rent subsidizing everyone else.
Brewer is a disaster for this neighborhood. The 87% of the vote she received in the last election is the result of apathy among the large swath of residents who never voted. It should not be mistaken for widespread popular support.
We desperately need a fresh person to replace Brewer and undo the damage she has caused. Unfortunately, Brewer will likely get re-elected due to political inertia.
Very well said.
GB destroyed our neighborhood beyond recognition. Low barrier shelters housing mentally ill next to schools is insane. Who else would be ok with something like this? Homeless from all over the city making UWS their prime destination, harassing us all everywhere all the time.
Migrant summer … don’t get me started, “responsible adults” as per GB.
Quality of life is damaged, most likely irreparably, thanks for Gale. She needs to be out of the office asap before she sacrificed the rest of us for her career.
It’s possible that people have a “sense of elevated anxiety surrounding safety” despite crime being objectively down because of the amount and tone of coverage it gets in local media. Crime is the first real question in this interview and three of the eight questions are about crime/ migrants / homeless shelters. Does this level of focus serve The Rag’s readership and the neighborhood? The Rag has done some great investigative work about crime statistics over time and about the prevalence of shelters in our neighborhood vs the rest of the city – why not include links to that context in each story about those issues?
Josh P.
Lifelong Westsider here.
IMO the area is not overall more “dangerous” per se – but it is creepier, dirtier, more depressing.
More unhoused/homeless on the street, more seemingly menacing people on the street.
More shoplifting/theft (which does not get reported).
I have lived in this neighborhood for over 20 years. I have noticed a significant uptick in mentally ill and/or homeless people on the streets, in the subways, etc. I am an able-bodied middle aged person. So I can fend for myself better than many others. But I am nervous walking down the street. And I am very nervous about my children walking down the street. I did not feel this way until the last few years. Letting these people put others in danger while simultaneously rotting away does not help them or us.
I’m sure someone will try to virtue signal me by calling me a complainer or claiming none of this exists. But I see it every day – I saw it multiple times on my way to work this morning. I appreciate Ms. Brewer’s suggestion that we get more pscyh beds. Great idea. But she has had plenty of time to do something about it and has instead prioritized other things that show little concern for law abiding, tax-paying citizens. A good politician helps all – the rich, the poor, etc. She does no do this.
So I’m glad this is not a priority for you. But it is a priority for many of us, which is why it is discussed frequently. Kudos to WSR for focusing on the topics of interest to most of its readers.
As an older woman, I am so tired of being harassed outside the bank.
I called Her office and the young man didn’t care who answered the phone, bordered on rude.
Very disappointed.
I’m a younger woman and I only go to the bank if one of my male friends is free to go with me. You’re doing great!
I’m disappointed the interview didn’t discuss the Church on 86th and Amsterdam, It’s an eyesore, the scaffolding has been up for 21+ years, and Gale says she can easily find the funding.
No movement despite her celebrity friends trying to get involved.
Solve the problem – don’t just talk about it.
As best I can tell, she answered the question about her accomplishments this term by referencing $63 million for the Soldiers and Sailors monument, unspecified funds for schools and playground upgrades, hiring 3 people at NYCHA, and virtue signaling about migrants. She also points to the existence of the Investigation and Oversight Committee – but not to any actual outcomes. This committee last appears to have issued a press release in 2008. Quite the record.
Meanwhile, she is bad at identifying existing real issues and on policy. On crime, there is no mention that felony and misdemeanor assaults as well as grand theft auto are up YoY.
There is nothing about street safety or enforcement of the traffic laws. There is nothing about the mounds of trash on the street, the rats this attracts, or trash containerization.
She also describes the UWS as “overbuilt” saying “we don’t have a lot of land available;” curious given that the UWS is less dense than the UES despite having more subway lines and conveniently ignores that the density created by the majority of pre-war apartment buildings that make the neighborhood what it is are now illegal to build given the current zoning resolution.
Last there is a baffling suggestion to outsource housing assistance to non-profits – the example she gave is not scalable and there is zero mention about the waste implied by outsourcing key civic functions.
It’s manifestly clear that Gale Brewer is a stale and ineffective public servant. She needs to go.
The quality of life and civility in District 6 grows worse every day. Muich of the detereioriation is attributalbe to the overwhelmikng presence of two wheeled vehicles that flaunt existing law and regulation. Enforcement is absent. And so is regulation. What is the financial impact of bike lanes and CitiBike on MTA ridership? Tryinbg do deal with the issue is not enough. In concert with the NYPD and Department of Transportation create and enact legislation in the City Council that accresses this assault on civic life not only in DIstrict 6 but the entire city. Enough is enough!
I disagree with Gale on many issues but contrasting how specific and knowledgeable she is on the issues facing the UWS and what the city council can actually do to help solve them vs Diane di Stasio’s very general and frankly uninformed sounding answers makes this an easy vote for me.
So, your happy with the status quo?
Things could be better! Would love to see Gale advocate for more housing and stop blocking the redevelopment of the run down church on W 86th. But Diane has no solutions just complaints.
Gail is an exceptional civil servant, and has had my support from the first time she ran. We are so lucky that she represents us, and I approve of her positions!
If being an exception civil servant entails showing up for photo ops and then disappearing, then I agree.
Considering that she has never held a private secror job. That goes back a long way
“Exceptional”? Completely disagree!
But what has she done for you recently?
Gale MUST support Councilmember Robert Holden’s bill to register, license, and insure e-bikes and e-vehicles of ALL kinds. There is NO other way to make the riders adhere to the laws. NONE! The bill is critical to the safety of ALL New Yorkers and it must be done NOW! No more excuses from any politician. I love Gale, but not supporting that bill will severely damage her changes of being re-elected.
I absolutely agree with Sam Katz. If the required license plates on these vehicles were visible to a traffic camera, the income in fines could likely allow the City to double its police force. If Ms. Brewer is reading these comments, I would be grateful for her argument in favor of her not supporting this bill.
A lot of the motor scooters have registered plates to avoid mass towing eaids.
Now the secret is to damage, hide, put stickers on, or block plates with bags or locks to prevent ppl from seeing the ates clearly
Love the idea of registering, licensing, and insuring anyone who opts to be a deliver worker!
While I’m on my rant, walk in front of fairways and look at the delivery cars. Nearly all have out of state plates. I have a theory that’s just to avoid parking and other traffic fines. I doubt instacart is a lucrative enough gig to commute fron north carolina
I will not vote for Gale Brewer for this reason alone. Her failure to support Holden’s bill is a deal-breaker for me.
Brewer, talks about how there’s no room for development but she continues to block development in order to defend a minority of constituents who don’t want their views blocked— see crumbling church on 86th/Amsterdam. She continues to block development! And let’s not get started how she refused to stand up to the scaffolding business interests and push for local law 11 reform. She doesn’t seem to care that coops are being burdened with the cost of non scientific regulations.
Life will continue to decline on the UWS. I have seen a drastic decline in the 2 years that I have lived here. Voting for the same representation will contribute to further decline.
2 years! LOL. 25+ for me, and believe me, quality of live has increased drastically.
25 plus for me too.
No, quality of life significantly decreased and it is obvious to everyone except for Gale Brewer supporters.
What about congestion pricing? If your doctor is at Mt. Sinai West and you need a car or car service to get there, it will cost an extra $9-23. Not everyone can take public transportation. What about theater, restaurants, friends, museums, etc that are below 60th street? We take part in all of Manhattan, not just the UWS. And nevermind the traffic as people coming in with cars will try to find parking outside of the congestion pricing district.
This district will suffer the most from congestion pricing but we are not being fought for like those in New Jersey and Staten Island are. I wish I could understand why.
we need fresh thinking. imho. she has bee in office way too long and we need new ideas and someone who is open to ideas, not legacy.
Brewer, it seems to me, is a “progressive” whose main interests are adhering to her principles and not getting primaried by someone even further left (if such a thing is possible).
It’s possible in NYC. Eventually that will happen.
Please decrease all the crime on the UWS.
Yes, why does Gale refuse to push the big ‘make crime go down’ button on her desk?? We need answers.
According to the NY City Council Website the City Council is “New York City’s legislative body.” It’s primary job is to “introduce and vote on legislation”. In the Q&A here she only talks about one piece of legislation she introduced or supported. That dealt with outdoor dining. An important issue but compared to crime? Homelessness? Migrants? E-bikes? All problems that she mentioned without talking about any legislative plan she has to address them. I’m trying to understand what she thinks her job is and how she’s going to accomplish it.
JHB
Re: Congestion Pricing:
CP will increase the cost of a taxi or Uber.
But CP will not reduce MTA bus or subway fare.
CP will not improve buses – in fact the MTA is continuing to reduce bus frequency, bus stops and bus routes.
Also because of constant street closures for “Open Streets”, bike events, charity runs, there is even less bus access and service.
So CP will significantly impact elderly, people with mobility issues etc.
CP will also increase the cost of nearly everything as businesses and services will pass along the expense.
And may be the final demise for the struggling yellow taxi industry grappling with Uber, less ability to cruise for passengers due to street closures, medallion catastrophe, fewer office workers.
At least there is a candidate running against Brewer, Diana di Stasio.
There is no one running against Shaun Abreu in the 7th district just north of Brewer’s.
Seems that many NYC elected officials campaign on broad issues like addressing trash or maintaining public libraries or safeguarding legal abortion.
But once elected, they focus on their own agenda and legislation that few are aware of.
There is also no effort to canvass constituents and offer residents a chance to weigh in.
Also, IMO NYC elected officials are not interested in hearing the differing opinions of residents.
It is kind of bait and switch
The thing I like about Gale Brewer is Diane Di Stasio.