As your candidate for New York State Assembly District 52-representing the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, and beyond-I believe we have a fundamental moral and practical obligation to ensure that every veteran who has served our country is treated with the dignity and support they deserve. No veteran in New York should ever face homelessness, hunger, or lack of access to quality care, especially in a city and state with the resources to do better.
Here in Brooklyn, our veteran community-including post-9/11 service members, Vietnam-era vets, and their families-contributes enormously as neighbors, small business owners, community leaders, and everyday residents. Many have settled in our diverse, urban neighborhoods, bringing energy, resilience, and a spirit of service that strengthens us all. Yet too many still struggle with barriers to housing, mental health support, employment transitions, and healthcare-issues that hit hardest in high-cost areas like ours, where affordability and access are already challenges for working families.
This is not just about gratitude-it's about equity and justice. Veterans from marginalized backgrounds often face compounded disadvantages, including higher rates of homelessness, PTSD, and barriers to VA services. We must address these systemic gaps with compassionate, community-driven solutions that prioritize those who have sacrificed for us.
When elected, I will fight in Albany for:
- Increased funding and streamlined access to veteran-specific housing programs, including supportive housing and rapid re-housing initiatives that prevent homelessness and integrate with local Brooklyn resources like the Brooklyn Vet Center.
- Expanded mental health and substance use support tailored to veterans, including trauma-informed care, peer counseling, and partnerships with organizations like Tunnel to Towers that have proven models for helping veterans in crisis get back on their feet.
- Stronger protections and benefits for veterans in housing, employment, and healthcare-ensuring no one falls through the cracks due to bureaucracy or wait times at facilities like the Brooklyn VA.
- Small, meaningful gestures of appreciation, such as offering lifetime sportsman (hunting/fishing) licenses at no or nominal cost to honorably discharged veterans, as a way to recognize their service and encourage them to stay rooted in our communities.
- Policies that support veteran-owned small businesses and entrepreneurship, helping these energetic contributors thrive in Brooklyn's economy.
These efforts must be part of a broader commitment to fairness: ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and equitably to lift up all vulnerable residents, including veterans, without pitting one group against another. Veterans deserve priority not because they are more deserving than others in need, but because their service created a unique debt that our society must honor.
Together, let's make District 52 a place where every veteran feels valued, supported, and at home-while building stronger, more inclusive communities for everyone.
Join me in this work. Contact me today to share your experiences, volunteer, or help advocate for real improvements in Albany. Our veterans-and our neighborhoods-deserve nothing less.