Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Shaun Abreu for City Council District 7
Candidate Name: Shaun Abreu
Office Seeking Election for: New York City Council District 7
Campaign Website:
Campaign Social Media Handles:
1. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community? No.
2. If you answered “yes” to the first question, do you believe members of hate groups should be permitted to join the City Council LGBTQIA+ caucus? Do you believe the Republican party is a hate group? If you answered yes to both questions, do you support ejecting Republicans from the caucus?
3. What work have you done on behalf of the LGBTQ community? This can include endorsing LGBTQ candidates, drafting or advocating for legislation directly benefiting the LGBTQ community, working with LGBTQ organizations, allocating funds to LGBTQ organizations, marching in Pride parades, attending rallies/protests/press conferences in support of LGBTQ issues, and/or employing openly LGBTQ individuals. All of the above! In my first year in office, I’ve marched in the Pride parade, funded organizations like GMHC and Drag Queen Story Hour, spoken out against anti-LGBTQ actions, and fought for equity in Mpox vaccine distribution.
4. Has Mayor Eric Adams met the needs of the LGBTQ community? Please include “yes” or “no” in your answer, and explain your answer. No. I was disappointed when he used an appointment for someone with an anti-LGBTQ background.
5. Would you demand that the Mayor re-institute its office of LGBTQ affairs, with its leader being a member of the LGBTQ community chosen in consultation with the City Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus? Yes.
6. Have you made requests to the Office of the Mayor to demand inclusion of LGBTQ community in city administration and on city boards? Can you give examples? Yes, I called for inclusivity in leadership as part of my opposition to Salgado.
7. Do you support reparations for slavery? Yes.
8. Do you oppose all efforts to weaken bail reform? Yes.
9. Do you support closing Rikers Island? Do you support the administration’s plan to open borough-based jails? Yes and yes.
10. Do you support legislation outlawing solitary confinement in all jails and prisons, including city jails, and do you support Intro 549 (regarding solitary confinement)? Yes.
11. Will you publicly call on the governor to use her clemency power for the many incarcerated New Yorkers who can safely return home? Will you tweet out your support for this or issue a public statement? Would you be willing to be critical of a governor who does not exercise their power to grant clemencies and commutations to those worthy of release? Have you ever spoken out in such a way? Yes to all. I have written to the governor on behalf of individuals with a relationship to District 7, and I participated in a social media campaign calling on the governor to release elderly incarcerated individuals.
12. If elected, will you include in your office’s newsletter instructions for your constituents on how their loved ones can apply for clemency? Yes.
13. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails? When did you do so last? Yes, I have a visit planned with the Bard Prison Initiative, which my office funds.
14. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work? If so, do you support full decriminalization, including decriminalizing purchase and facilitation? Will you commit to opposing the Nordic model, which continues criminalizing purchase and facilitation while decriminalizing sale? I support the decriminalization of sex work and will pledge to oppose the Nordic Model and fight for labor protections for sex workers.
15. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a “Sanctuary City”? I’ve already supported expanding the vote to undocumented residents and end cooperation between ICE and the NYPD. I’ve been a vocal supporter for our recent asylum seekers and worked to provide resources to them. My office provides legal resources for immigrants on a weekly basis and would support a right to counsel for immigrants facing detention proceedings.
16. Did you support legislation, which passed, to allow non-citizen New Yorkers to vote? Do you support the appeal of the case in which the law was held unconstitutional? I supported the legislation, and I believe it should be held constitutional.
17. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces in your district? Yes.
18. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police and other law enforcement individuals? Yes.
19. Are you in favor of removing police from any of the following? a) Schools; b) Mental health response calls; c) Homeless outreach and social services; or d) Traffic enforcement. Yes, there are individuals (or technology, in the case of traffic enforcement) better suited to respond to these categories in many cases.
20. Should law enforcement "Vice Squads" be eliminated? Yes.
21. Should the Gangs Database be abolished and do you / will you co-sponsor Intro 360 on the subject? Yes.
22. Do you support the Progressive Caucus’s requirement that members support cutting funding to NYPD in favor of alternative safety infrastructure? No, the Progressive Caucus requirement is a symbolic gesture emotionally stuck in the year 2020 that elides our responsibility to fight for better policing alongside deep community investments in youth, housing, mental health, and public assistance.
23. What concretely have you done to improve access to reproductive healthcare? If elected, what more will you do? Be specific. I have supported and allocated funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood that provide access to reproductive healthcare (which I will continue to do).
24. Do you approve of Mayor Adams’ approach to sweeping homeless encampments? No.
25. Do you commit to speaking with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses? Yes.
26. Do you commit to speaking personally with liquor license applicants and license holders before opposing any bid for a liquor license? Likewise for an applicant seeking your support? Yes and yes.
27. In view of the fact that Ed Koch has been documented to have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with AIDS, and was blatantly racist, would you support a city bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose? Yes.
28. Do you commit to removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle? Yes.
29. Who did you support for Mayor in the 2021 Democratic primary? Did you make an endorsement in the general election? Mayor Adams.
30. Are you currently a member of the Progressive Caucus? If you are not currently an incumbent, will you join if elected? No.
31. Do you believe the Progressive Caucus should have qualifications to ensure that its members are actually progressive? Please explain. I believe membership should be based on actions. I support their requirement that all members sponsor 75% of progressive legislation; as a former member, I signed on to 90% of the caucus legislation.
32. If you are a sitting Councilmember, name three votes you took in the City Council that differed from the position of the Speaker. I differed on one land use item, which served to reduce the amount of affordable housing in a wealthy council district in Brooklyn.
33. The rules of the City Council often make it difficult to get a hearing and/or vote on bills of which the Speaker does not approve. Would you support, and introduce if necessary, legislation that could force the City Council to print, introduce, hold hearings on, and hold votes on legislation. Potentially, with the right mechanisms in place.
34. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations? No, this is not something that would influence me.
35. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations who donated funds to any of Donald Trump’s campaigns? Yes.
36. With the continued boycott of Equinox fitness on the basis of owner Steve Ross’ support of Donald Trump and institution of “Don’t Say Gay” policies in his residential buildings, do you commit to opposing his application for a casino? Yes.
37. If you receive the Jim Owles endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements? Yes.