Crain’s asked the nine leading candidates in the June Democratic primary for mayor of New York City to answer questions about their stances on the city’s biggest issues. Below are the answers by Zellnor Myrie, a state senator who represents Brooklyn neighborhoods including Crown Heights and parts of Prospect Heights and Park Slope. Myrie championed a state law that sealed criminal records for over 1 million New Yorkers, and is running a mayoral campaign focused on housing.
1. What’s your single biggest idea that you’d implement as mayor?
I launched my campaign with a plan to solve the housing crisis and Rebuild NYC with a mandate to deliver one million homes over the next ten years. If we don’t aggressively build homes, we’ll lose New Yorkers who simply can no longer afford to live here. This will be my top priority as mayor.
2. Is there a next neighborhood that should be rezoned to allow for more housing? If so, which one?
My Rebuild NYC housing plan would rezone Midtown so we can build 85,000 mixed-income units.
3. What promises are you making to increase the availability of affordable housing? How will you make sure they come to fruition given current high interest rates and backlogs in the city housing department that finances affordable projects?
Addressing the housing crisis is my top priority. Through Rebuild NYC, my plan to deliver one million homes over the next decade, I will tackle rising rents and displacement head-on. By increasing housing supply and making homes accessible to all income levels, we can create a city where people can afford to live, work and raise families.
My plan calls for 700,000 new units and the preservation of 300,000 homes. RebuildNYC uses city tools like increased density in ultra-dense areas through mandatory inclusionary housing and rezoning to allow more residential construction. My plan also secures permanent revenue for NYCHA’s future. The city’s failure to act has worsened this crisis. We can’t afford band-aid solutions: Either we build the housing New Yorkers need, or we risk losing them.
4. Should the city take steps to limit member deference vetoes for land-use projects at the City Council?
We’ve got to move past the situation where a single member has effective veto power over projects that are part of a citywide effort to build the housing we need.
5. What’s one specific thing the city should do to take advantage of artificial intelligence to boost the city’s economy or workforce — or limit AI’s influence?
NYC should harness AI to improve transit, starting with expanded use of automated bus lane enforcement and smarter routing. These tools can speed up commutes, reduce delays, and boost reliability, especially for working New Yorkers. With strong privacy safeguards, AI can make public services more efficient and equitable.
6. Should the city add to its budget reserves this year to brace against potential federal cuts? If so, by how much?
The unfortunate truth is we’ve missed the window to build up reserves because the Trump/Musk cuts are already here. As mayor, I’ll fight with every tool at my disposal to reverse these cuts, prevent future ones, and protect our city.
7. Would you consider raising property taxes if the city faces severe fiscal problems?
For me, raising property taxes would be a last resort, even in periods of severe fiscal strain, because of the potential impact on housing construction at a time when New York City desperately needs to increase housing that families can afford.
8. Should the city tackle e-bike safety problems by changing criminal enforcement, building bike infrastructure, or both?
Reckless e-bikes are a growing public safety problem throughout the city that require smart regulation and enforcement of traffic laws. We also need better infrastructure, which is why I’m committed to implementing the Streets Master Plan and building 30 miles of protected bike lanes annually. Separating bikers, pedestrians, and drivers with clear space for each will make a huge difference.
9. Is the city ready to implement the Local Law 97 climate policy, whose first compliance reports were due May 1? If not, should the city ease requirements, do more to help landlords comply, or something else?
A major source of emissions comes from our city’s buildings. Under Local Law 97’s current regulatory system, property owners may choose to pay fines rather than invest in energy efficiency or renewable energy. I am open to revising Local Law 97 to ensure it drives necessary emission reductions by incentivizing building owners to make upgrades rather than treating fines as a cost of doing business.
10. Should the city deploy more police into the subway system, fewer, or the same number?
My public safety plan calls for a robust police presence, shifting officers from station entrances to platforms, trains, and hot spots, plus deploying 150 police-clinician trios.
11. Police officers stopped and frisked more pedestrians in 2024 than they had in any year since 2014, according to NYPD data. Would you continue that policy?
The rise in unlawful stops under Eric Adams is concerning, as is his failure to make the city safer. I’ve been heartened by the changes Jessica Tisch has brought to the NYPD.
12. Should the city expand its use of involuntary commitments for people with serious mental illness? If so, what steps would the city need to take to expand their use, and if not, why not?
The social safety net meant to support New Yorkers in mental health crises has failed too many. As mayor, transforming our response to these crises will be a top priority.
My administration will build Stabilization Centers in each borough, providing safe spaces where people in distress can access resources instead of facing incapacitation. And we will connect those experiencing street homelessness and mental health challenges to stable congregate housing with on-site clinical care.
We will expand inpatient and outpatient treatment, lowering barriers to care, including Assisted Outpatient Therapy for serious mental illness and Medication Assisted Treatment for addiction.
By ensuring accessible resources, stable housing with clinical support, and expanded treatment, we will connect New Yorkers in crisis to the care they need and deserve. As mayor, I will ensure that our behavioral health system is rooted in prevention and long-term support.
