Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Crystal Hudson for City Council District 35

Candidate Name: Crystal Hudson

Office Seeking Election for: New York City Council District 35

Campaign Website: www.crystalforbk.com

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

It was through my caregiving experience for my mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, that I was called to public service, knowing that no family should have a hard time trying to access quality care so that our loved ones can age in place with dignity.

It is with this mission in mind that I first decided to run for New York City Council, representing Brooklyn’s 35th District, which includes the neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill. My family has been in this community for three generations, and I ran to give back to a community that has given so much to me. My first three years have shown I will do just that: passing bills to address the Black maternal mortality crisis, give more people access to free legal representation, expand resources available to older New Yorkers, and more; closing 90% of constituent service requests; and hosting dozens of resource fairs and events for my district’s most marginalized residents. Should I win a final term representing the people of the 35th Councilmanic district, I will continue to fight for truly affordable housing; community safety led by those most impacted by over-policing and harm; policies that ensure all older adults can age in place with dignity; the right to a world class education for every child; and a safe, secure place to live.

My mother was a registered nurse for over three decades at Harlem Hospital, and her unwavering compassion has always been an inspiration. I have long advocated for the rights of women, communities of color, immigrants, seniors, and the LGBTQIA+ community, and I have carried that commitment to equity and justice during my tenure in the City Council. My experience in public service, the private sector, and community organizing have proven my ability to work hard, get things done, and build consensus.

With an unrelenting housing crisis, over-policing of communities of color, and a struggling economy that has disproportionately impacted Black and Latino communities, our City is facing challenges never seen before. But I have no doubt that we are resilient enough to get through the difficult months and years ahead; and as the Council Member for the 35th District, I will continue to forge progressive solutions to meet our most urgent needs and will continue to follow the leadership of my community. We cannot afford anything less.

This moment calls for us to envision and create pathways for stronger and more equitable communities for generations to come. It calls for us to be bold and reimagine what this city can be for our most marginalized New Yorkers. I am committed to being courageous, remaining unwavering in my values, to speaking truth to power, to thinking big and being bold, and to re-envisioning a New York City that works for all of us, not just the privileged few.

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

In the City Council, I work with a number of LGBTQIA+ organizations on a regular basis, including the Ali Forney Center, Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Callen-Lorde, Destination Tomorrow, Drag Story Hour, HMI, LGBT Center, and many more. I was honored to work alongside them during my two years as co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus.

I am currently a member of Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, and was previously a Board Member of Lambda Independent Democrats (LID). I was a Victory Empowerment Fellow with the Victory Fund; and when I worked for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, I spearheaded the team’s LGBTQ outreach in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

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

Yes, I agree to identify JOLDC on all literature and electronic materials as I have done in years past when I was honored to receive the club’s endorsement.

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?

It feels like I’m at a press conference or rally every other day in support of LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive rights, racial justice, criminal justice, and other progressive-minded causes. Over the past few years, I have attended rallies and pressers calling for the Adams administration to close Rikers by the 2027 deadline; calling for the passage of legislation to establish a reparations process and create a citywide truth, healing, and reconciliation commission; supporting the Council’s reproductive rights legislative package; unveiling LGBTQIA+ policy agendas; and many more. And just two days ago, I stood with hundreds of New Yorkers and elected officials to remind everyone that we are a sanctuary city and we will protect all New Yorkers, despite the chaotic attempts by Eric Adams and Donald Trump to sow fear and attack the most vulnerable among us. If re-elected, I’ll continue to stand with my colleagues and New Yorkers alike to fight for a better City for all.

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?

The New York City Council has made it clear that it will not stand by and let the Trump Administration undermine and destroy the fundamental rights of all Americans, especially those from marginalized communities. We stood up and called him out for his recent federal funding freeze. We called out his transphobic executive orders. And we organized to protect as many New Yorkers as we could. But we must band together and establish, fund, and enact a plan over the next few years specifically to support immigrant New Yorkers and LGBTQIA+ people.

Foremost, we need to invest in greater legal support for New Yorkers facing any immigration proceedings. I propose creating a brand new City Council initiative called “Legal Support for Immigrant New Yorkers” that allocates at least $20 million to legal service providers specifically for immigration-related legal support, which could range from filing asylum applications, combatting deportation proceedings, filing habeas petitions for anyone in federal custody, and more. This is part of why I was compelled to introduce and pass a resolution (Res 556-2023) last year in support of the Access to Representation Act, which establishes the right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings.

We must also continue to reiterate New York City’s status as a sanctuary city and rebuff any attempts by the Adams administration to cooperate with federal law enforcement. I will work with my colleagues in the Council to pass legislation further expanding the federal law enforcement agencies with which we will not cooperate should they involve an undocumented New Yorker. And we will stand up to the Adams administration’s attempts to roll back protections, like its recent memo that said city officials could cooperate with ICE if they felt threatened or feared their safety. We must also make New York State a sanctuary state and finally pass the New York For All Act this session in Albany.

As a proud, out, gay Black woman, I have been fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights in New York City and nationally throughout my career and during my time in the Council. In 2023, I co-authored “The Marsha and Sylvia Plan,” a first-of-its-kind municipal policy framework to support LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers, with a focus on TGNC folks. (You can read the full plan here: https://council.nyc.gov/crystal-hudson/marshasylvia/.) This agenda details tangible solutions the City Council can take to combat the myriad injustices facing our communities. Since the report was issued, I have passed a number of bills outlined here, including one (Local Law 120 of 2023) that makes NYC a safe haven for gender-affirming care. I have also introduced bills to require city agencies to include “X” as a gender marker option (Int 246-2024); require city jails to permit TGNC people in custody to have gender affirming items (Int 1027-2024); prohibit discrimination on the basis of family or relationship structure in employment, housing, or public accommodations (Int 1055-2024); and require DOHMH to provide LGBTQIA+ competency training for public school medical personnel (Int 1056-2024), as a few examples. As I have done to date, I will continue to introduce legislation to make New York City as safe as possible for queer and trans people and will call out and fight back against any attempt by the incoming administration to curtail the rights of LGBTQIA+ people not just in New York, but nationwide.

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 or accept endorsements of any individuals who oppose LGBTQIA+ and reproductive rights, and will continue to publicly call them out for their homophobia and anti-choice positions if they attempt to endorse me. I have denounced all three individuals in the past and rallied against their appointments in the Adams administration.

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?

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

Yes, I support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion. Simply put, we must ensure that every person seeking an abortion in New York City has access to it. The fight for reproductive justice is one where the struggle for racial equality, gender equity, and economic liberation converge to underscore the plight of poor and working class people across the country. I am proud to have helped support the passage of the Council’s response to the Dobbs decision, including bills to make abortion pills free at city clinics, create a private right of action for interference in obtaining reproductive health services, and establish a public information campaign about deceptive “crisis pregnancy centers”.

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

I have proudly hosted and funded Drag Story Hour programs in District 35 since entering office in 2022, and I have participated in Drag Story Hour programs with other colleagues in government at citywide events.

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

Foremost, the Council must fund nonprofit groups like the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) to create personalized action plans for families that have one or more members in NYC who is undocumented, including estate and succession planning. Unfortunately, the reality is that many New Yorkers will be deported or slated for deportation despite our best efforts. We must ensure families are not fully ruptured and they have a plan to reunify or fight these charges should they be at risk. The Council has already made steps to accomplish this, providing $2 million to more than 60 nonprofits to provide legal services, trianings, and more for immigrant families. We also launched a first-of-its-kind Community Interpreter Bank and allocated $1.4 million to it to ensure immigrants who need interpreters have them to secure legal services and more.

Second, we need to invest in greater legal support for New Yorkers facing any immigration proceedings. I propose creating a brand new City Council initiative called “Legal Support for Immigrant New Yorkers” that allocates at least $20 million to legal service providers specifically for immigration-related legal support, which could range from filing asylum applications, combatting deportation proceedings, filing habeas petitions for anyone in federal custody, and more. This is part of why I was compelled to introduce and pass a resolution (Res 556-2023) last year in support of the Access to Representation Act, which establishes the right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings.

Third, we must reiterate New York City’s status as a sanctuary city and rebuff any attempts by the Adams administration to cooperate with federal law enforcement. I will work with my colleagues in the Council to pass legislation further expanding the federal law enforcement agencies with which we will not cooperate should they involve an undocumented New Yorker. And we will stand up to the Adams administration attempts to roll back protections, like its recent memo that said city officials could cooperate with ICE if they felt threatened or feared their safety. We must also make New York State a sanctuary state and finally pass the New York For All Act this session in Albany.

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

The homelessness crisis has hit District 35 as hard as it has hit many other districts. Because of rising rents, a lack of deeply affordable housing, and a failure to invest in public housing or supportive housing, many District 35 residents, including some of our newly arrived migrant neighbors, are finding themselves without a permanent home and either couch-surfing, living in shelter, or living on the street. The recent announcement that the street homeless population is the highest it’s been in decades (4,140) is no surprise. We’re seeing homelessness numbers that we haven’t seen since the Great Depression, according to the Coalition for the Homeless.

During my tenure in office, I have focused my constituent services and policy work on supporting our city’s most vulnerable, including those experiencing housing insecurity. Each week, our office hosts sessions in English and Spanish with a housing specialist who helps constituents with housing-related issues like signing up for affordable housing lotteries, and an attorney from CUNY Law who provides legal consultations. Each of these services are highly utilized by immigrant communities and unhoused or housing insecure people.

When an Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) opened up in my district to accommodate thousands of recently arrived asylum seekers, I jumped into action to support our new neighbors. I hosted donation drives and two large resource drives, and also secured on-site resources for West African asylum seekers, and provided everything from legal resources to immigration support for residents. I’ve also introduced legislation, as previously mentioned, to create a permanent office for refugee resettlement that will ensure the City has the infrastructure in place to support future waves of migrants and meet their needs. Though the shelter is closing, I will continue to support this community as they transition to the new site in the Bronx and work to protect them to the greatest extent possible from attacks from the Trump administration. I have never opposed the siting of a shelter in my district, though I have urged the Adams administration to provide vital resources to ensure shelter residents and neighbors could coexist, including greater sanitation services, more humane shelter conditions, and stronger community programming.

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.

Yes, I am a proud cosponsor of Res 714-2025. New York City is a sanctuary city, and New York State should be a sanctuary state.

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 was proud to introduce Res 717-2025. We are witnessing a troubling rise in xenophobia across the nation. In just a few days, a new presidential administration—one that campaigned on dehumanizing immigrants—has already begun stripping more rights from an already vulnerable population. This critical bill will help safeguard all New Yorkers from threats to their safety and fundamental rights.

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, and I was proud to lead the Council’s effort in support of the elder parole bill by introducing and passing the Council’s resolution in support of this legislation. As Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Aging, I am acutely aware of the positive impact this legislation will have, creating pathways to release for incarcerated people who are ready to re-enter and contribute to society. It will help to end the separation of families and the travesty of intergenerational incarceration, restore hope to our communities, and establish parole policies to reflect standards of public health and safety rather than racism and revenge. It’s the right thing to do and will save our state resources that can be directly reinvested in our communities.

15. Do you oppose the death penalty?

Yes, I fully oppose the death penalty and would support any efforts to ban it across the nation.

16. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?

Yes, and I have been a proud co-sponsor of Int. 549 since its introduction and was proud to work with Speaker Adams to get it passed last session. Solitary confinement is blatantly unconstitutional, ineffective, and harmful for people in custody — as it is proven to cause a number of mental health problems in folks placed in solitary confinement. It is long past time for the city to abolish this inhumane practice. I stand with the Council in suing the Administration for failing to implement the law.

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 have visited Eastern Correctional Facility and Rikers Island so that I could speak directly with those who are detained and see the conditions of the prisons and jails my constituents are held in first-hand. I will push Governor Hochul to release individuals who have worked toward rehabilitation and ensure they have the support they need, when out, to thrive in our city.

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

Yes. I fundamentally envision a City in which everyone, especially Black and brown folks, are free from carceral systems as we know them, and where real accountability and healing can take place when harm is caused in our communities. Though I am an abolitionist and oppose the use of jails given that they are not actually focused on rehabilitation and instead punishment, I understand that we won’t be able to do this overnight. As we work toward reducing the number of people incarcerated and eliminating the need for jails, we need to establish high-quality, safe facilities for those currently incarcerated that work to increase resources for people while they are detained and help them when transitioning home.

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. My office issues a weekly newsletter in which we share a number of resources, events, and information on what my office has been up to over the past week. I would be proud to include instructions for how folks can apply for clemency and spread awareness.

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

I endorsed and ranked Maya Wiley as #1 in the 2021 Democratic primary. I did not make an endorsement in the general election.

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

Aside from the current mayor, I have not yet removed any 2025 Democratic candidates from consideration, largely because I’m waiting for the field to be set before determining who I will rank on my ballot. I have not yet endorsed any candidates, but I am committed to working with progressive organizations and other elected officials to uplift the candidate(s) who shares our values and has the best chance at making Mayor Adams a one-term mayor.

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

Yes, I would support a bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge.

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

From the monstrous demand for vouchers and the broken housing lottery system to the years-long waiting list for NYCHA, we are failing low- and middle-income New Yorkers who need a safe, secure, affordable place to live. We need to stop selling city owned property to developers and keep public land in the public’s hands, as well as create meaningful partnerships with non-profit developers and houses of worship that are intentional (and meet certain criteria) about building truly affordable housing for low-income communities. Addressing this crisis will take a five-pronged approach: (1) build more market rate and affordable housing units; (2) preserve any existing affordable housing; (3) support tenants against predatory landlords; and (4) combat harmful predatory real estate practices.

I voted for City of Yes, and am proud to have played a small role in negotiating the City for All package that included a $5 billion investment in tenant protections, affordable housing, and so much more.

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

My district is home to many homeowners who have historically used short-term rental platforms to lease a room in their home or a basement unit so they could pay off rising expenses like property taxes or their mortgages, or even save for retirement. While Local Law 18 rightly restricted the short-term rental market and ensured these units are placed on the permanent housing market, some of my constituents are now left without that income source. The knee-jerk reaction is, understandably, to roll back the law rather than identify other ways to support these homeowners. I am committed to working with the homeowners in my district to find a solution that ensures they can afford their basic needs without sacrificing the intent of Local Law 18.

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

Today, we are at a critical juncture in our city’s nearly four century history. Over the next few years, our city’s leaders will need to work together to solve the greatest affordability crisis our city has seen in decades, address the over-policing of communities of color, and fix a struggling economy that has disproportionately impacted Black, Latino, and Asian communities. This moment calls for us to envision and create pathways for stronger and more equitable communities for generations to come. It calls for us to be bold and reimagine what this city can be for our most marginalized New Yorkers.

My career and record in the Council is proof that progressives are the ones who get the job done. We are the ones who are lowering costs for New Yorkers and putting cash back in their pockets. We passed legislation I introduced that established unrestricted direct cash assistance and worked with Speaker Adams to secure $1.5 million to create a program giving cash to new mothers experiencing housing insecurity. My colleagues and I passed legislation eliminating forced broker fees, saving prospective renters thousands of dollars. And we’ve expanded the CityFHEPS program to ensure more housing insecure New Yorkers can afford their home. I have also fought for and succeeded at passing longtime progressive priorities, including ending solitary confinement and increasing NYPD oversight via the How Many Stops Act.

With another four years in office, I’ll be able to continue this work and bring our City closer to meeting its promise to welcome all. I am committed to being courageous, remaining unwavering in my values, to speaking truth to power, to thinking big and being bold, and to re-envisioning a New York City that works for all of us, not just the privileged few.

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

I would be honored to receive JOLDC’s endorsement for my third and final campaign for New York City Council. Your endorsement shows my constituents that I’m a strong progressive who fights for our city’s most marginalized and have earned their support.

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

Now more than ever we need leaders who will stand up for everyday New Yorkers and not to MAGA extremists and billionaires. If the conditions are right, I will seek the support of my colleagues to run for Speaker of the New York City Council. The Speaker ensures that we advance legislation that speaks to the will of the body and makes a meaningful impact in the lives of New Yorkers, especially those who are the most marginalized. New Yorkers’ trust in government must be restored and the City Council has a clear role to play to make local government work for everyday people.

questionnaireJim Owles Liberal Democratic ClubFebruary 23, 2025nyc 2025