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410 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-875-5200
718-643-6620
250 Broadway, 1735
New York, NY 10007
212-788-7348
212-788-9758
Stephen Levin
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Stephen Levin
District 33 - Council Member - Democrat |
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Follow Councilmember Levin's blog to get all the latest news and events going on in your community. You can subscribe to the blog, leave comments or contact Councilmember Levin directly via email.
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Stephen Levin grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey and came to Brooklyn to work as a community organizer after he graduated from Brown University.
Stephen started his career in community organizing by simultaneously running a Lead Safe House program and an Anti-Predatory lending program, both based in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The Lead Safe House program helped to relocate families of lead-poisoned children out of hazardous apartments. Stephen also used this program to work with homeowners to effectively and efficiently remediate lead contamination.
As director of the Anti-Predatory lending program, Stephen organized homeowners throughout the community through grass-roots outreach and community workshops about the dangers of subprime mortgages. Working with the City, local elected officials, and advocacy groups, Stephen was able to galvanize the community against the unscrupulous lending practices that were decimating the neighborhood with foreclosures.
In 2006, Stephen became Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Vito Lopez, Chairman of the Assembly Housing Committee (D-Williamsburg). As Chief of Staff and a dedicated advocate for affordable housing, Stephen secured funding of over 1,000 units of affordable housing.
In November 2009, Stephen was elected to represent the 33rd District of Brooklyn, which covers Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, and Vinegar Hill.
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Entered City Council: 01/01/2010
Current Term Expires: 12/31/2013
Represents: Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint; parts of Williamsburg, Park Slope, Boerum Hill
Committees: Education; Economic Development; Environmental Protection; General Welfare; Land Use (Planning, Dispositions & Concessions, Chair); Lower Manhattan Redevelopment
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Ashley Thompson
Chief of Staff
Kevin Carroll
Legislative Director
Hope Reichbach
Communications Director
Marian Wood
Budget Director
Rami Metal
Community Liaison
Ivan Acosta
District Office Manager
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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.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2010--Councilmember Steve Levin (D-33) spoke out today in protest of the recent freeze of Section 8 subsidies in his district and across New York City.
“I have long been an advocate for the preservation and expansion of affordable housing. The recent loss of Section 8 vouchers is extremely troubling. Our office has received many phone calls from distressed and displaced residents who desperately need Section 8 vouchers,” Councilmember Levin said. “I urge the city to work with NYCHA and HPD to unfreeze Section 8 vouchers to guarantee that our community continues to provide affordable housing.”
Councilmember Levin represents the 33rd District of Brooklyn, which includes many areas that have high populations of Section 8 recipients, including Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and parts of Downtown Brooklyn.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2010--Councilmember Steve Levin (D-33) urges to the New York State Senate to pass the bill to federalize City and State NYCHA developments and utilize federal stimulus funding for New York City public housing. Levin has introduced a City Council resolution in support of the Assembly bill, sponsored by Assembly Housing Chair Vito Lopez, which was overwhelmingly approved in the New York State Assembly yesterday, 140-2.
“I strongly urge the New York State Senate to approve Assemblyman Lopez’s bill to federalize State and City NYCHA developments. Assemblyman Lopez’s bill will help to bring millions of dollars to NYCHA developments for much needed services and repairs. This is far too big an opportunity to pass up. In my district, this bill will federalize Independence Towers and Jonathan Williams Plaza, which will expand operating subsidies and bring new capital support for the developments from the federal government. As an affordable housing advocate, expanding funding streams for NYCHA is extremely important to me, and it is very important that the New York State Senate approve this bill today so that NYCHA can immediately begin to receive federal stimulus funding," Councilmember Levin said.
The bill was delivered to the New York State Senate on February 22nd and is currently on the Senate floor.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 3rd: Councilmember Steve Levin’s (D-33rd) resolution in the City Council in support of the federalization of some NYCHA developments was approved today.
“I am thrilled that my first resolution in the City Council has been approved. This resolution establishes the Council’s official support of the federalization of NYCHA bill, which was recently passed in both the Assembly and Senate. The bill, introduced in the State Assembly by Assembly Housing Chair Vito Lopez, will bring millions of dollars in funding to public housing developments for much needed repairs. I am proud to be a part of a Council that recognizes the need for increased funding in NYCHA developments and will stand with me in support of Assemblyman Lopez’s bill,” Councilmember Levin said.
The legislation will increase funding for infrastructure for 21 NYCHA buildings.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 14, 2010—The City Council Land Use Committee approved the Rose Plaza on the River development, after Councilmember Steve Levin (D-Williamsburg) negotiated an increased commitment to affordable housing with restrictive declarations attached to the land.
“I am proud that the communities I represent stood up, with my fellow Brooklyn elected officials, to demand a development that will benefit the community,” Levin said. “The approved proposal guarantees that the development will have 30% affordable housing, up from the 20% the developers originally proposed. The development will also provide 14 4-bedroom apartments, up from an initial zero. We are now guaranteed a development that will accommodate the Williamsburg community. I want to thank Speaker Christine Quinn, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, and Councilmember Domenic Recchia for their support.”
“The agreement is a huge victory for the neighborhood. We have achieved 30% affordable housing at an overall density and scale of development that is compatible with other waterfront rezonings in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. This is the balance that the community board has sought all along, and Councilman Levin is to be congratulated for his hard work in achieving it,” said Ward Dennis, Chair of the Land Use Committee of Community Board 1.
The approved proposal commits the owner to 30% affordable housing. All 74 of the larger units, 14 4-bedrooms and 60 3-bedrooms, will be offered at below market rate. The development will sit on the Williamsburg waterfront, in Brooklyn.
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