While in public office/prior to this campaign, what have you accomplished in regard to advancing disability rights? This can include work towards accessible housing, transportation, employment, health care, education, and including people with disabilities in the political process?

Since elected to the New York City Council, I have c-sponsored a number of pieces of legislation regarding disability rights that have become NYC Law. Among those is the legislation that recently became law mandating that all water borne commuter services be made disabled accessible. I am proud of my record in the City Council. I have sponsored a number of resolutions including ones to make voting systems fully accessible and supporting the elimination of obstacles which prevent citizens with disabilities from exercising their constitutional right to cast a secret ballot in elections.
 

What oversight have you performed regarding implementation of programs/legislation you have passed (in first term or in previous offices)?

I have co-sponsored a number of pieces of legislation and they are listed above. I have sponsored forums in my district on disabilities issues. My office is pro-actively engaged in a process to inventory curb cuts in my district. Without waiting for the Department of Transportation, my staff and I went to all streets in the district and catalogued the curb cuts that were either in disrepair or in missing. After performing that inventory, we have continued to advocate with DOT to make these necessary repairs.
 

What implementation/strategy do you have for your future programs and legislation to help constituents with disabilities?

In the future, I will continue to convene meetings of community advocates from the disabled community and w/members of the 504 democratic club and other representatives of the disabled community. When it comes to implementation, the office will continue to engage in aggressive monitoring of city agencies, conversations with the commissioners. We will continue to work out strategies and timelines of legislation that could be introduced and passed to help constituents of the third Councilmanic District and of the City of New York. I will continue to work with the NYC Council Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services to address these issues of importance to the Disabled community and People with Disabilities.
 

Will you commit to only attend or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities? NOTE: This includes providing written materials in alternate formats for people with low vision, providing assistive listening systems for people who are hard-of-hearing, and sign language interpreters for people who are deaf, as well as ensuring that locations are accessible to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers.

I am strongly committed to sponsoring events that are accessible to people with disabilities. I will strive to only attend events that are in facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities. I have instructed my office to ask this when scheduling me at events. I will commit to using funds from my district office to produce written materials for people w/low vision, listening devices for those who are hard of hearing and to provide sign language interpreters for those who need it to the best of my ability. When I am hosting events they will ONLY be held in places that are handicapped accessible.
 

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What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities?

1. ...in your personal life?

2. ...in the workplace?

Throughout my career in NYC politics and among the many people I now call my friends, I have much experience interacting both on a personal and professional level with People with Disabilities. I believe that we need to have more people both in the workplace and in public life to represent those People with Disabilities.
 

What special accommodations do you believe/think are in use in the workplace?

I believe in hiring the most talented people. We can’t let antiquated and/or discriminatory ideas keep us from bringing the most talented people into the workforce. Disabled people should be a full part of our workplace. We also need to make sure our laws support this concept by not giving employers a choice. Employment is one of the biggest challenges facing people with disabilities. Many places of employment are structured for those who are physically abled. Those businesses are losing out because there is a dearth of people with disabilities who have special talents to help any business. I will work with the NYC Department of Small Business to ensure that they remind small business in NYC of the talented pool of talent that in available in the disabled community. I will also work with the Human Rights Commission to ensure that no one who wants a job is denied employment because of their disability status.
 

How do you propose to implement your active involvement and/or availability to the disability community?

1. Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?

   A member of my staff, Carin Mirowitz, works on disability issues in my district office.
    
   

2. Will have regular office agenda items and meetings on disabled community issues?

   Yes.
    
   

Do you/or will you, have an active Disability Advisory Committee? Explain its duties, responsibilities and powers.

I am often reaching out to members of the Disabled activist community and members of the 504 Democratic Club for their input and advice on formulating policy and help in generating legislative initiatives effecting people with disabilities.
 

How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation through the City Council? What is your strategy during your first term?

I am very confident that if re-elected to the City Council, I will continue to be able to work effectively with my colleagues, Council leadership, and the people in the disabled community to pass legislation. This will be accomplished through coalition work, and working closely with the community on lobbying strategies for the entire Council. As I am sure you know, passage of any legislation is never assured, but I am hopeful that with a strong community face and a tough strategy, anything is possible.

I will also continue to work with the 504 Democratic club and their advisory committee for their advice.
 

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What is your position on the development of supported apartments/homes and retirement homes for the mentally disabled in your borough? Please also explain same for physically disabled. What strategies will you utilize?

Through my leadership on the Council, during the Hudson Yards, Greenpoint and Highline zoning processes, the City Council used zoning to require permanent affordable housing. We need to take success the council created with permanent affordable housing and use it as a model for housing for the mentally and physically disabled. I support the development of supported apartments/housing and retirement housing for the mentally disabled and the physically disabled. I will advocate aggressively in the capital budget process for the building and creation of such apartments and facilities. In addition I would raise this issue every time a development or zoning matter came before my office. Not only would I work through the Uniformed Land Use Review Process to ensure these goals are met, but I would also work with the Community Boards by ensuring these projects are added to the Community Board Statement of Needs and CAPITAL Budget priorities.
 

What is your position on extending the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) to low-income, eligible persons with disabilities under the age of 62 on the same basis and income level (currently the income cap for seniors is $24,000, but for persons with disabilities it has been set at $17,000)?

I support this.
 

How will you develop realistic income levels for individuals and couples with disabilities to avail themselves of the SCRIE provisions?

I would work with disabilities community, advocates, community based agencies and governmental agencies to develop appropriate and realistic income levels. I will also consult and advocate with my colleagues on the NYC Council Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services Committee for guidance on this issue.
 

What alternative programs will you propose to allow persons with disabilities to stay in their own homes/apartments? (i.e. protection from rent increases or undue eviction (harassment) and make funds available to make appropriate accommodations in present living environment). Another example: perhaps a dedicated housing trust fund should be established for making those housing accommodations. If so, how would you fund same?

I fully support and would seek to expand all current rent regulations in New York City and State. I have advocated on behalf of rent regulated and Mitchell Lama tenants. As a City Councilmember, I have made the protection of tenants—particularly disabled tenants—a top priority in my constituent service operation. Many times, when a landlord harasses a tenant, a local elected official can step in to assist the tenant individually. I have helped many such tenants while working on the City Council and will continue to do so as a member of the City Council.

We have developed models of service for NORCS (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities). We should look at that model and investigate whether it can be adapted for those who are physically challenged.

I have testified repeatedly before the Rent Guidelines Board on behalf of lower rents for tenants.

In order to protect disabled persons from being priced out of their homes, we must continue to push Albany for home rule on housing legislation. The City Council, not legislators from upstate, should have the power to protect disabled residents in need of affordable housing. I have advocated for this strongly in our annual report to Albany on NYC.

I support expanding the rental assistance program in the City, as well as making the SCRIE program available to people with disabilities.
 

New York City is in the process of adopting a new building code. How would you advocate for the strongest possible access provisions?

I would work closely with the disabled community, the Administration, and with my colleagues in the City Council to ensure that the new building code promotes accessibility by building in threshold requirements. It is vital that for the building code to have accessibility specific requirements for all new buildings and major renovations.
 

1. Emergency evacuation for people with disabilities: what would you do to ensure that provisions are put in place to improve survival rates of people with disabilities in the event of fire, attack, blackout, or other emergency situation?

   I will continue to work with disabled advocates to make sure that all current and future building codes and legislation include appropriate, reasonable, and enforceable measures to ensure that people with disabilities are adequately protected. This is literally a life saving issue.
    
   

2. What would you do to ensure that "Visitability" is enacted in New York City? Visitability is the movement towards establishing guidelines providing that newly constructed multi-family dwellings have basic accessible/adaptable features that permit friends and family with disabilities to visit, and for residents to "age in place," without having to move out when age and/or disability set in.

   I will actively collaborate with the leaders of the disabled community to ensure that all new buildings are constructed as to be "visitable."
    
   

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Will you support, and what strategy will you utilize, to implement an expansion of affordable wheelchair accessible transportation in NYC, including taxis, livery service, express buses, airport shuttle service, more accessible subway stations, etc.?

1. Efforts to secure a 100% accessible fleet of medallion taxis have been hampered by opposition from Mayor Bloomberg and the taxi industry. Wheelchair accessible taxis are present in many cities as a result of strong support from local Mayors and City Councils. What would you do to assure that all New York City residents, commuters and tourists have access to an important form of public transportation, our medallion taxis and community car services?

   Until we are able to achieve legal means to enforce a fully accessible public transportation system for both residents, commuters, and tourists, I will continue to work with my colleagues on the City Council, advocates and organizations like the 504 Democratic club to ensure and expansion of accessible [transportation?] that [covers?] all public transportation services in NYC. Those transportation systems include transportation to the airports, express buses, etc.

   In this year’s budget, we were able to set aside a sum of money to convert current taxi-cabs to become fully accessible to disabled people. I will advocate that new taxi medallions be sold to those owners who would have a fully accessible taxi.

   We passed legislation recently to make the ferries disabled accessible. I was a co-sponsor of that legislation.

   In addition, every year when my office advocates with the MTA and to Albany and Washington, we will continue to advocate for more subway station capital funds for conversions to make the subway stations fully accessible.
    
   

Access-A-Ride has denied rides to many eligible consumers; cause unnecessarily long trips, causing workers to be late for work and consequently be docked pay and even lose their jobs; routinely leave many consumers stranded at the curb, lying to their clients that a bus is coming and calling consumer a "no-show" when the bus has not shown. Consumers who complain are often subject to retaliation. What would you do to improve the quality of service for those who must use Access-A-Ride?

I believe this problem needs to be addressed on several different fronts at the same time. First, with residents of my district I have held numerous meetings with Access-A-Ride management to discuss the problems and advocated for improved service. I have strongly advocated for a complete overhaul and turn-over of the manage and advocate for them to install an accountability structure that puts the clients first with a paper trail of those employees who retaliate against clients. Finally, I have advocated for sensitivity training for their employees. Clearly, there is a problem here that needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
 

Do you favor the construction of the Second Avenue Subway? If so, is this a priority?

I favor the Second Avenue subway, and it is one of my top public transportation priorities. I believe it should be a much higher priority for the Mayor and the Governor.
 

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The Local Civil Rights Restoration Act (Intro 22) seeks to protect the vigor and independence of the City’s Human Rights Law against the attacks of an increasingly conservative State and Federal Judiciary. Although there are 38 Council sponsors, 32 civil rights and allied organizations, in favor of this legislation, and three hearings have been held, Mayor Bloomberg continues to oppose the most central aspect of the bill, the need for City Human Rights Law not to be restricted as federal and state civil rights law gets cut back. Would you work to assure its passage? Please describe your strategy.

I am a co-sponsor of this legislation. I will work with the other sponsors of the bill and the coalition to pressure the Administration and the Mayor to support the bill and bring it to the Council floor for a vote.
 

Under the Bloomberg Administration, the Corporation Council intervened on the side of the city of Sacramento when it sought to challenge the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the requirement to maintain accessible sidewalks. Do you pledge to use your office to affirm or strengthen, rather than weaken, civil rights protections for persons with disabilities?

Yes. We need to ensure the laws are enforced.

My office also pro-actively engaged in a process to inventory curb cuts in my district. Without waiting for the Department of Transportation, my staff and I went to all streets in the district and catalogued the curb cuts that were either in disrepair or in missing. After performing that inventory, we have continued to advocate with DOT to make these necessary repairs.
 

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Do you support making sign language interpreters available for Community Board meetings? If so, how would you fund this?

I support this. I would fund it through the city budget process.
 

Will you appoint disabled persons to local Community Boards?

Yes.
 

How many have you/ or will you appoint to Community Board?

I will encourage persons with disabilities to apply for positions on local Community Boards. As a Councilmember, I make every effort to ensure that disabled persons have equal representation on Community Boards and that they are active participants on committees, especially those committees such as Transportation that have a significant voice in issues of concern to the disabled community.
 

Will you support the "requirement" and implement, a Disabled Committee on every Community Board?

I believe that there should be a Disabled Committee on every Community Board.

I support this, but also support the Borough President’s Office, as the prime city sponsor of community boards to raise issue and address issues of accessibility and people with disabilities on the community board level.
 

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Please Specify: Have you used (or will you use) your discretionary funds to support organizations serving persons with disabilities or service organizations seeking to make their programs accessible to persons with disabilities? If so, what percentage of your discretionary funds went to such organizations?

I support giving some of my discretionary funds to local organizations serving people with disabilities.
 

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Under Mayor Bloomberg, the City settled with the United Spinal Association and agreed to install curb cuts -- Pedestrian ramps, on all corners which presently don’t have one. However, no provision has been made to repair or replace those current ones which are unsafe. How would you ensure that curb cuts—pedestrian ramps—are provided on or repaired on streets that need them? What would you establish as a timetable?

I have proactively worked Citywide DOT to methodically and responsibly to inventory curb cuts. I did not wait until the city inventoried them. My staff and I performed our own inventory in my own district. We also set up follow up meetings with DOT and we have proactively advocated with them to ensure that all curb cuts are repaired and replaced as needed.
 

What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?

I have continually facilitated an open a dialogue within my own local community and business associations, so that local business and disabled residents and advocates have heard each other on this issue and are working towards solving any problems. We need to help people with both education and awareness of the problem. After that we should look at the role of possible financial incentive for small business.
 

Do you believe that landmark buildings can be made accessible without losing their historical integrity?

Yes.
 

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What is your position on efforts to elevate the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to a commissioner level agency or Commission on Disabilities to enable coordination of efforts of agencies? (A one stop shop for information and assistance.) How would you ensure that city departments/agencies coordinate through MOPD?

I fully support making this a Commissioner level office.
 

What implementation/authority should MOPD have, and/or how would you ensure that MOPD?

Beyond elevating the office to a commissioner level, the office should be given the appropriate resources to fulfill its mission, and given full authority to work with the enforcement agencies to ensure that city business are in compliance with the law.
 

Since presumably "this" office is a Mayoral Office, how would you enforce and do oversight regarding the work of the office and be certain of the implementation and its efforts?

If re-elected to the City Council, I would use the oversight powers of the Council to ensure this Mayoral office is performing and conducting itself in a way that ensures it is doing everything possible to help people with disabilities.

I would create a list of items that this agency should address in my own district. My office will keep in constant contact with staff at the agency and the community in my district. I would also be delighted to set up a working task force with this mayoral agency to tackle issues of importance to People with disabilities. I have successfully accomplished this as chair of the NYC Council Health Committee with several HHC issues including pediatric health.
 

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