Caruso’s Grassroots 

Campaign 

Housing

This is a call to all Queens renters to UNITE! Fight for the RIGHTS needed to save the American Dream for all renters, both residential and commercial alike. Around forty percent (24,133 units) of NYC Council District 19 are renters.  We need a City Council, with the will and courage to stand up to the real estate lobby, The Real Estate Board of New York, REBNY.

  • Green New Deal for Public Housing: Investing in public housing to improve living conditions, create union jobs, and make buildings more sustainable without privatizing critical community assets.

  • Expanding Homeownership: Making homeownership achievable for working families through down payment assistance and affordable housing programs.

  • Modular Housing: Promoting modular housing to quickly and cost-effectively meet demand with sustainable and quality-built homes.

  • Office Conversions: Turning vacant office spaces into affordable housing units, revitalizing neighborhoods, and making better use of underutilized spaces.

    Supportive Housing: Expand supportive housing that integrates on-site services to help vulnerable populations achieve stability and independence.

    Community Land Trusts: Empowering communities to control land, prevent displacement, and ensure housing remains permanently affordable.

    Building a Housing Pipeline: Increase supply of affordable housing, incentivizing mixed-income development, and leveraging federal and state resources for sustainable growth.

Education

An educator by trade,  I have a passion and focus for the education system. New York State spends upwards of 45 billion dollars on education in NYC, which is the largest municipal education budget in the country. Yet our schools don’t rank in the top 10 in the United States.

Unfortunately, this system has declined, spurred by poor leadership during DeBlasio and Adams mayoral administration. In the last decade alone, NYC has seen lowered test standards, and literacy rates, and cut the arts programs. Resulting in a decline in the quality of our student’s education across the board.

  • Fight for universal after-school programs.

  • Make CUNY colleges tuition-free!

  • Fair Pay for Our Paraprofessionals

  • Desegregate our schools by advocating for the repeal of Hect-Calandra at the state level, end all discriminatory screens in New York City public schools, and launch a community-led diversity plan for middle schools in Queens

  • Build more schools! New York State has mandated smaller class sizes but the city has yet to meet these requirements. We require new school buildings to handle the amount of students in our citi’s school system.

The Democratic Party is in an identity crisis! Neo-liberalism has tainted the idea of what it means to be a public servant. We had it right back when we were the Party of FDR—the days of the New Deal Democrats. With that said, I am not just running as a Democrat but also also under Working Families Party (WFP). Because we need to get back to our roots and fight for working-class Americans.

  • With Mayor Adams soon to be gone essentially gone, we need a new mayor of New York City. I fully back the WFP slate for mayor: City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Comptroller Brad Lander, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie. 

  • Organize a working-class bloc within the City Council like the WFP to influence not only the Speaker’s race, committee chairs, and memberships, but also the adoption of session rules and the budget process and outcome

  • Ensuring constituent services are proactive, not reactive, and that district offices are hubs for organizing so that constituents can access the tools, skills, and training needed to find solutions to local problems.

  • Implement internal rules and  reforms that limit the overwhelming power of the Speaker over the Council’s legislative and budget agenda and push the bounds of the body’s power as the effective counterweight to the Mayoralty

  • Use working groups, resident councils, and/or neighborhood block groups to influence decision-making, increase understanding of local government processes, and facilitate constant communication and co-governance

Reform the NYC Government

Public safety extends to more than just tackling crime; it requires a holistic approach that ensures safe streets, safe communities, and trusted public institutions. I will work to create safer neighborhoods without compromising justice and fairness. At the end of the day, I wanna fund cops, NOT robots!

  • Fighting Gun Violence: Supporting common-sense gun laws, community-based violence prevention, and safe storage regulations to keep firearms out of the wrong hands.

  • Safe Streets: Expanding Vision Zero, improving street lighting, and implementing traffic calming measures to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.

  • NYPD Accountability: It is crucial we  enhance independent oversight, transparency, and crisis intervention training so we can build trust between law enforcement and the community.

  • Investing in Alternatives: Funding mental health response teams, violence interruption programs, and reentry support to address the root causes of crime and promote community safety.

Public Safety

A Green NYC

With Local Law 97 now in effect, many dwellings across East Queens and NYC broadly will have to start buying new, green home appliances. While I support NYC going green, it’s not fair on the taxpayer to suddenly meet this new city compliance. If elected, I  will proudly work with NYC Councilwoman Sandra Ung and Linda Lee in passing Local Law 1197.

Green Job Creation: Investing in training programs and clean energy industries to create good-paying union jobs that support a sustainable economy and workforce transition.

  • Resilient Infrastructure: Investing in flood protection, green spaces, and renewable energy projects that create union jobs and enhance community resilience.

  • Sustainable Transit: Expanding public transit options, building protected bike lanes, and improving access in underserved neighborhoods to reduce emissions.

  • Green Public Housing: Modernizing public housing with energy-efficient upgrades and sustainable design to improve living conditions and cut emissions.

  • Community-Driven Climate Action: Empower neighborhoods to lead on local climate initiatives, from urban farming to energy cooperatives, ensuring the benefits reach those most impacted.