Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Adrienne Adams for NYC Mayor

Candidate Name: Adrienne Adams

Office Seeking Election for: NYC Mayor

Campaign Website: https://adrienneforthepeople.com/

1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?

I am a lifelong New Yorker, who grew up in a working-class family in Southeast Queens. After working for nearly two decades in the private sector, I served on my local community board in Queens. I have served in the City Council for over seven years and as Speaker for more than three years.

As NYC Council Speaker, I have been a steady and results-driven leader, ensuring that the Council delivered for all New Yorkers in times of uncertainty. While the current Mayor has been mired in controversy and division, I have kept the city’s course steady—focusing on unity, delivering critical services, and advocating for every community. I am running for Mayor because New York City deserves leadership rooted in integrity, dignity, and accountability. I didn’t spend years planning to run for mayor and did not take the decision lightly. I know the city needs a leader who will rise to the occasion, confront our challenges head-on, and make sure no New Yorker is left behind.

I believe the question in this election is what type of leadership do we want to be the face of New York City at a time when workers, civil rights, and our City’s very independence are under attack from Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

We should all be judged not by what we promise you now, but what we’ve done before to deliver results. I’m the only candidate running for mayor with the relevant city government experience and a record of being committed to placing the people as my top priority. I’ve negotiated city budgets, fighting to protect the needs of New Yorkers and facing down City Hall to do it. I’ve protected libraries from budget cuts, defended our childcare system, and prioritized investments to improve our neighborhoods. I have done this by bringing people with different perspectives together in coalition to address issues that affect New Yorkers. This helped advance solutions to our housing crisis and to pass new laws that remove barriers to CityFHEPS housing vouchers, along with other achievements for New Yorkers.

I’m running to make our city more affordable for families, our neighborhoods safer for everyone, expand opportunity, and protect our city from corruption. I will return public service as a priority, bringing competent, ethical, and results-driven leadership to the mayor’s office that puts the people first, not special interests. I’ll never hesitate to stand up to Donald Trump and protect New York City’s independence and values. My commitment to you: there will be no drama, no scandal, no nonsense – just competence and integrity for working New Yorkers. I am running to put the people first and always.

2. What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally? What LGBTQ candidates have you endorsed?

I have worked in partnership with many LGBTQ organizations as Speaker of the City Council. I was also proud to be honored by Stonewall Democrats in June 2023 for my advocacy. I have endorsed several LGBTQ+ Council members, including Council Members Erik Bottcher, Chi Osse, and Crystal Hudson.

3. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all literature and electronic materials?

Yes, space permitting.

4. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBT issues, pro-choice legislation, racial justice, criminal justice have you attended, including rallies specifically against Donald Trump?

As Council Speaker, I have repeatedly stood with the LGBTQIA+ community. I have been outspoken against attacks on our trans siblings, including calling out fellow elected officials when they have made disparaging comments. I have hosted many leaders from the LGBTQIA+ community, including trans leaders of color and advocates working with LGBTQIA+ youth and elders. Despite the current mayor’s austerity agenda calling for budget cuts, I have continued funding critical programs that serve these communities. I restored cuts, including to HIV programs, and will remain committed to identifying and addressing the needs of all LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers. And I’ll never hesitate to stand up to Donald Trump’s attacks on this community. I organized a press conference in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, because of what the decision foreshadowed for the rights of LGBTQ communities, and followed up by leading the Council to pass the NYC Abortion Rights Act with 12 new laws that safeguard and expand access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.

5. In light of the upcoming Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?

I have loudly opposed the harmful attacks by the Trump administration on our diverse communities and civil rights, and believe it is the responsibility of New York City’s mayor to defend New Yorkers and our city’s values. As mayor, I will continue to use my platform to ensure our city’s diverse communities know they have a leader who will defend and fight for them. I will also use the power of the office to do the same, using litigation by the City in partnership with organizations and other localities.

6. Will you seek or accept endorsements of individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, such as Ruben Diaz Sr., Fernando Cabrera or Erick Salgado? Will you pledge to denounce their homophobia and anti-choice positions in the event you receive an endorsement from such individuals?

I will not seek endorsements, such as these, and will always denounce homophobic and anti-choice actions and rhetoric.

7. In light of the upcoming Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?

As I mentioned, I will continue to use my platform and bully pulpit to combat the extreme, hateful agenda of the Trump administration. I will also continue to work with organizations that represent communities affected and targeted by Trump, organizing effective opposition and engaging in litigation where possible and most useful. I have done this as Speaker to defend our city’s diverse immigrant communities, particularly in light of the current mayor’s failure and unwillingness to do so. I have worked with immigrant rights organizations and Council members to educate New Yorkers and our communities to know their rights and protect themselves. I have participated in press conferences and rallies to push back on the harmful actions and rhetoric by Trump and unfortunately our own mayor. Recently, I sued the mayor on behalf of the Council to stop his administration from allowing ICE onto Rikers. As mayor, I would deepen these efforts with the additional power of the office and work with like-minded mayors from across the country.

8. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?

Yes

9. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?

Yes. The Council has funded Drag Story Hour and I have attended to defend it when under attack. I have stood up with the community before by condemning anti-trans rhetoric that was used to attack Drag Story Hour.

10. What proposals will/do you support to increase the protection of immigrants and cement New York City’s status as a Sanctuary City?

I support New York City’s sanctuary laws and have defended them, despite being targeted by inaccurate attacks on them by the mayor and other forces. It isn’t just what I would do, but what I have done in the face of political pressure, which is to stand strong for our city, communities, and values.

We know that the City’s laws make us safer by ensuring all New Yorkers feel comfortable accessing services, children are not fearful going to school, and residents engage with our city’s police department when necessary to report crime or seek help. I would ensure that the City’s Law Department is prepared to defend our city’s communities and laws against attacks by the federal government, working with other cities and states and organizations. In fact, as Council Speaker, I have joined multiple nonprofits, elected officials, and community members in supporting immigrant New Yorkers. I have led the

Council to provide Know Your Rights training to residents, businesses and community organizations, and we have also done public education through social media with members. The Council has also provided over $35 million in funding to organizations that provide healthcare, legal services, workforce development, and other support for our city’s diverse immigrant communities.

As mayor, I would expand on this work by having the city do public advertising on Know Your Rights information to help more New Yorkers be educated about their legal rights, strengthen support and close partnership with immigrant rights organizations, and increase legal services.

11. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?

I have led the Council to pass several laws to help individuals experiencing homelessness. This includes CityFHEPS laws that we overrode the mayor’s vetoes to enact and then sued him for refusing to implement them. As mayor, I will implement them to help people stay in their homes and avoid homelessness, and get out of shelters. These laws also opened access to the housing vouchers for homeless youth in the DYCD shelter system, a large number of whom are from the LGBTQ+ community. I also led the Council to pass a new law in 2023 that established a commission to address and be responsive to the needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults, and housing is one of the greatest needs in our city. I also just recently announced a plan to end youth homelessness with a guaranteed basic income program that serves this population, as well as families with children under 5 and foster youth aging out of the system alone.

12. If incumbent, are you a co-sponsor of Resolution 2970, introduced by Council Member Shahana Hanif? If not yet elected, will you promise to co-sponsor the resolution? The text urges the NYS Legislature to pass the New York for All Act, which would ensure state and local resources are not used to facilitate federal immigration enforcement. If not, please explain.

I led the Council to pass this Resolution (Resolution 714 of 2025) on March 12, 2025.

13. If incumbent, are you a co-sponsor of Resolution 2917, introduced by Council Member Crystal Hudson? If not yet elected, will you promise to co-sponsor the resolution? The text endorses the Access to Representation Act, which would establish a “universal right to counsel” for indigent New Yorkers who are subject to removal proceedings under federal immigration law. If not, please explain.

I led the Council to pass this Resolution (Resolution 717 of 2025) on March 12, 2025.

14. Will you join our efforts to pass legislation mandating the review of sentences of incarcerated individuals over the age of 55 who have served in excess of 15 years to determine if they warrant release? The legislation is commonly known as the New York Elder Parole Bill.

Yes

15. Do you oppose the death penalty?

Yes

16. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?

Yes, I led the Council to pass a law banning solitary confinement in city jails and then sued the mayor for refusing to implement it.

17. Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated? Will you work to secure the release of individuals who have demonstrated sincere remorse, worked toward rehabilitation and are not deemed a threat to society?

Yes, I will visit and support the successful rehabilitation of individuals. Over-incarceration for longer periods of time than necessary actually undermines public safety by increasing recidivism – the data shows this.

18. Do you commit to working to change our penal system toward a restorative rather than a retributive model of justice?

Yes

19. Do you commit to make applications for clemencies available to your constituency including a link to an application in a constituent newsletter? Will you submit it to our club?

Yes

20. Who did you support for mayor in the 2021 Democratic primary election?

Eric Adams, regretfully

21. Which 2025 Democratic candidates have you removed from your consideration? Have you endorsed anyone? If so, who?

Andrew Cuomo

22. Do you support the renaming of the Ed Koch bridge and will you work towards the renaming including sponsoring such legislation?

Yes.

23. What are your plans to address rent affordability in NYC? Did you vote for “City of Yes”? If not, please explain.

I have been the most consistent city government leader in confronting our housing crisis, protecting existing homeowners, and increasing homeownership opportunities. My leadership is responsible for approving 120,000 new homes amidst a housing shortage, deepening the affordability of housing programs, investing in NYCHA public housing, securing major increases in funding for new homeownership, and passing laws and providing direct assistance to protect homeowners from deed theft. I would continue to pursue innovative solutions to build more affordable housing and prioritize homeownership that keeps families in our city, which has lost 200,000 Black New Yorkers over the past two decades. I would also continue my efforts to deepen investments in NYCHA developments that improve public housing residents’ living conditions, while expanding my efforts to facilitate greater entrepreneurial and job opportunities specifically for NYCHA residents.

I would also implement new laws on the CityFHEPS housing voucher program that I led the Council to pass and override a mayoral veto. These laws remove barriers New Yorkers face to accessing the rental assistance program, so more people can move out of the shelter system faster and avoid evictions, but the mayor’s administration has refused to implement them. I would follow through on the laws to help people stay in their homes at a time of rising evictions that disproportionately affect Black children and record homelessness.

I helped modify City of Yes and secured a historic $5 billion of investments for more affordable housing and homeownership, deeper affordability, tenant protections, and homelessness solutions.

24. What are your plans regarding short-term housing?

Our city is in a housing crisis because of a severe shortage of homes. Solutions to the crisis would be my priority, as outlined above.

25. Do you support fully divesting city pension funds from Tesla?

Yes

26. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why should we believe you would be a dynamic and progressive voice in elected office?

I am a lifelong New Yorker, who grew up in a working-class family in Southeast Queens. After working for nearly two decades in the private sector, I served on my local community board in Queens. I know what working people experience, as someone who has been a flight attendant and worked at a Woolworth.

My record in fighting for people at City Hall has been consistent.

27. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?

I will be a mayor for the people and will bring stakeholders together to defend our city from Trump, solve our city’s challenges, and serve New Yorkers.

28. Are you a potential candidate for City Council speaker in the upcoming term? If so, what is your platform?

No, I’m a candidate for mayor and am the current Speaker.

questionnaireJim Owles Liberal Democratic ClubApril 27, 2025nyc mayor 2025