New York City Council Member James Sanders, Jr. is in his third and final term representing the people of the 31st City Council District, composed of Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Edgemere, Bayswater, Arverne, Rosedale, and Far Rockaway.

He attended Far Rockaway High School and earned his Bachelors Degree from Brooklyn College in 1984 after three years of service in the United States Marine Corps.

A proven fighter for his constituents and a tireless community organizer, Councilman Sanders was driven to public service in the mid 1980’s, working on issues affecting the youth of Queens as a member of School Board 27.  After ten years as a member of the board, he was elected to serve as the Board’s first Africa-American President.

Mr. Sanders was first elected to the City Council in 2001, and was unanimously voted the first African-American Chair of the Economic Development Committee in the history of New York City. As Chair, Sanders was in charge of a disparity study that became the basis upon which NYC reinstated affirmative action. As Chairman, Sanders had oversight of the Economic Development Corporation, and the Department of Small Business Services.

Throughout his career, Councilman Sanders has led battles against some of the worst influences affecting the South Eastern Queens community.  He is the author of the toughest anti-predatory lending bill in the country, and has passed legislation criminalizing the sale of ammunition to minors.  He has rebuilt and updated many of the parks and libraries in his 31st Council District, and hosts a yearly music concert series, the Garvey-Tubman Series, in conjunction with the Margert Community Corporation of Far Rockaway.

Along with the NYPD, he sponsored a gun buy-back program that removed more than 900 guns from the streets, and has led the charge against sexual assaults throughout Queens, his office having formed a women’s coalition of community activists to champion safety and other issues effecting women.

A lifelong champion of public education, he has vigorously supported the expansion of science and technology in schools in his district, and allocates $50,000 per school per year for the purchase of new technologies.

Councilman Sanders is currently Chair of the Civil Service and Labor committee, and is a member of the Land Use, Economic Development, Community Development, Veterans and Juvenile Justice Committees.

Entered City Council: 01/01/2002
Current Term Expires: 12/31/2013

Represents: Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Far Rockaway, Arverne, Bayswater, Edgemere

Committees: Civil Service & Labor, Chair; Community Development; Juvenile Justice; Land Use (Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses); Veterans                       

His legislation includes:

• Authoring (and passing) the toughest anti-predatory lending law in the country to protect homeowners 

  • (2002,Local Law # Intro 67A) The law prohibits the City from doing business with institutions that engage in any way in predatory lending. It also regulates the participation of home improvement contractors in the home loan market.

• He also passed a living wage law for New York City that will help tens of thousands of working families

  • (2002,Local Law# Intro 239A) The results of September 11 and deepening recession was devastating for low income families. It became City policy to promote stability in employment for building service workers, which will reduce the need for social services resulting from unemployment and promote stability in the service industry.

  • MWBE Legislation,(2005, Local Law 129). The law calls for the enhancement of the ability of minority and women owned business to compete for city contracts, to enhance city agencies awareness of such business enterprises and to ensure their meaningful participation in city procurement.

• He authored the "Bullet Bill", which restricts sales of ammunition to minors
  • (Local Law Intro 144-A)
• He is also a prime sponsor of the new "audible noise" standards in response to noise pollution
  • (Local Law Intro 397-A)

• Introduced policies to address the high rate of unemployment in New York City, especially among black males. This new legislation calls on companies that do business with NYC, to be held accountable for employing NYC residents, especially low-income residents.

• Sponsored a resolution to ensure a fair playing field for businesses owned by women and people of color

During the Sanders years, an astounding $110 million was allocated by the Economic Development Corporation to build a sewer system to address a 40-year-old community flooding problem. Working with local business community and fellow elected officials, here are a few of the funds that Sanders brought home:

• $400,000 from Pathmark stores
• $300,000 from Florida Power and Light
• $250,000 from the International Airport Centers

These funds are being used for business development, and to fund worthy community groups.

• $110 million to build new sewer system in Springfield Gardens.
• $8 million to reconstruct parks including a newly constructed football field for the Rosedale Jets at Brookville Park
• 2.6 million for new soccer field in Springfield Gardens
• $1.9 million to ensure affordable housing in the District.
• $1.5 million for Arverne Library
• $800,000 to senior centers
• $500,000 for Sorrentino Community Center
• $500,000 to Rebuild Springfield Gardens HS Library
• $500,000 to establish a new senior citizen and homebuyer education center at St. Gertrude Center.
• $400,000 for youth programs
• $400,000 from Pathmark stores to aid local business owners improve storefront facades
• $335,000 for Laurelton Public Library
• $300,000 from Florida Power and Light to provide money for those directly affected by construction.
• $250,000 from International Airport Centers for worthy community groups.
• $150,000 for PS 132 newly renovated kitchen facility.
• $2.7 million to fix Brookville and Idlewile parks
• $1.9 million to ensure affordable housing in the District
• $1 million to fix Bayswater park
• $750,000 to redo the park at P.S. 104
• More than $800,000 in direct aid to various district public schools

In a response to constituent concern, here are some battles Councilman Sanders has succeeded in.

• Temporary freeze on jail expansion within walking distance of P.S. 52
• Executive motor Inns license temporarily revoked, and forced to re-organize
• Repaving of Brookville Road (Snake Road) with new traffic light on 149th St.
• New sewer pipes installed on 235th St.
• Traffic lights on Beach 59th St. and Arverne Blvd., and Beach Channel Drive
• Fought to have drink called “Cocaine” banned nationally after Redux beverages tried to flood store shelves with the drink.
• Successful in removing air pistols and bb guns from the shelves of a local multi-national retail store.
• Cancels suspension site that was scheduled to be placed at Springfield Gardens High School.

Responding to the outcry from community residents regarding the West Nile virus that affected his district, Sanders ensured that his entire district was sprayed every year for the past several years.

Expense Funding FY 2011

The applications and instructions for FY 2011 funding are linked below. Submitting an application does not guarantee a group will be funded.  All groups are subject to the Council's vetting process.

Organization Qualification Form (doc | pdf)
For frequently asked questions, read here.