City Council Member Lincoln Restler is facing Sabrina Gates in the June primary election as the race heats up in District 33.
Restler has represented Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill, Bed-Stuy and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for nearly four years. Gates initially challenged him in 2021 alongside six other candidates.
Restler, who was born and raised in Brooklyn Heights, got involved with politics while studying at Brown University. He worked for the Obama campaign in 2008, and helped found the New Kings Democrats, an alternative to the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Gates moved to Brooklyn after graduating from Georgetown University. During her time at Georgetown, Gates said she became politically engaged around issues of police brutality and education. Although she was a member of the New Kings Democrats, Gates is now the deputy director of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Both candidates agreed that New York City is in an affordability crisis.
Gates said she wants to change how area median income (AMI), a metric used to determine affordable rents, is calculated when determining the rent on affordable apartments. She did not respond to a follow-up question to describe her alternative calculation, however.
Gates also said that building more housing would bring down rents. “I don't think it [City of Yes] is the only plan” when it comes to building more affordable housing, she said.
Restler agreed, noting that "there's no magic wand that's going to solve the affordability crisis overnight.”
The council member also said increasing housing supply would reduce rents, and lamented how working families pay a majority of their income on rent.
Restler noted his work in strengthening tenant protections during his time in office, including a bill he introduced that would require landlords to provide air conditioners when the temperatures rise.
Both candidates also said the protecting the environment was a top concern. Restler highlighted his climate action roadmap, which includes resources and step-by-step plans to help mitigate the worst impacts of climate change in District 33.
Gates narrowed in on Newtown Creek, where she said the Department of Environmental Protection was “moving too slow to clean up the toxic waterway.
"If we could find ways to have greater oversight, and speed the process along, I think that would be significant,” she said, without providing further detail.
Gates also noted her opposition to the 40 Quay St. high rise project, which environmental advocates say would destroy the Bushwick Inlet and kill wildlife.
On education, Gates advocated for increasing the number of teachers to help to address low reading levels.
"There needs to be more funding put into people getting degrees for teaching, who want to do that work, bringing additional resources into school as far as tutors, books and aides," she said.
Gates did not entirely support Governor Kathy Hochul’s smartphone ban in public schools, as there are “reasons why parents need to connect with their students throughout the day.”
Restler touted his School Equity Initiative, which invested $4 million into the five highest-needs schools in his district, including for tutoring, so students can catch up from pandemic learning losses.
The council member said he also supported legislation that increased funding for school libraries, which he said “is an evidence-based approach to improving literacy outcomes.”
Gates and Restler have already traded a few blows during the campaign. Restler sued Gates to keep her off the ballot, claiming she had improperly gathered signatures by masking her candidate petition as a petition to remove bike lanes on Bedford Avenue between Flushing Avenue and Dean Street. The judge ruled Restler did not have "clear and convincing” evidence.
Restler also said Gates is part of a “corrupt cabal” including Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Adams' former Chief of Staff Frank Carone. Restler said he believes Bichotte Hermelyn and Carone pushed Gates to run against him.
“Rodneyse and Frank have been two of the people who are in the mayor's inner circle, none of them have liked my outspoken criticism of this administration's failed policies and management and as a result, they found a candidate to run against me," he said.
Gates brushed off the accusation, giggling as she told BK Reader “I've actually never met Frank Carone.”
Carone, Bichotte Hermlyn and Adams did not respond to requests for comment.
