Sara M. González

Background Information

Councilwoman Sara M. González was raised and educated in Sunset Park. She attended community public schools including P.S. 1, P.S.314 and Fort Hamilton High School. González is a graduate of Staten Island College and attended Columbia Graduate School of Business Management. In November 2002, she was elected to the New York City Council in a special election to represent the 38th Council District. She was re-elected in November of 2003, in 2005, and to her second full term in 2009. In the Council, González has been at the forefront of the fight for affordable housing. As a member of the Land Use Committee, affordability is her highest priority when casting a vote. She was active in efforts to include her District in the 421-A debate, ensuring that no developer can take advantage of certain tax abatements for new construction without including affordable housing in their plans. Recently, González sponsored a new Local Law that will ensure rent stabilization laws continue in the City, ensuring that tens of thousands of families will not be forced out of their homes. As a Budget Negotiator for Brooklyn in the Council, González is fighting to ensure a fair share of city resources go to the 38th Council District. She has also been sure to provide vital funding to groups throughout the City. Most notably, González has championed the Adult Literacy Initiative over the past few years, securing millions of dollars in funding for free ESL, GED, and Adult Basic Education classes for thousands of City residents seeking to improve their English language skills. Since bringing Juvenile Justice from a sub-committee to a full-committee, Councilwoman González has been a leader in improving conditions and resources for some of the City’s most vulnerable young people. Rather than treat incarcerated youth as life-long criminals, González has placed an emphasis on treating them as young people who have deviated from their character. As a result of her efforts as Chair, González has secured millions of dollars for alternative to detention and progressive in-detention programs and has authored new laws to help this population. The Councilwoman has been a long-time advocate for improved educational resources in District 38. González was at the forefront of the fight to construct Sunset Park’s first high school, which opened in September 2009. She was also instrumental in bringing a new, 380-seat early childhood center to Sunset Park. González secured over $500,000 for computer labs for schools throughout the District recently, as well as providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for after-school, cultural, and educational programs. Among the hundreds of non-profit groups who provide essential services in District 38 to receive funding from Councilwoman González, some examples include: the Chinese Planning Council, Children of the City, Red Hook Initiative, The Center for Anti-Violence Education, Humane Education/HEART, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, The Mixteca Organization and many more. González has secured millions of dollars for local, hospitals and libraries. Some important Parks projects she allocated funding for include: the complete renovations of the Sunset Park Ballfields and Playground, reconstruction of Slope Park, major improvements to Valentino Pier and Red Hook Park, and work on the new Sunset Park Waterfront Park. Prior to her election to the Council, González was a civic activist and community leader for over three decades. As the Executive Director of a non-profit community-based organization serving youth and seniors throughout Southwest Brooklyn, she also helped spearhead the movement for HIV/AIDS education and prevention and was Co-Founder of Discipleship's HIV Program in 1988. She served as the first Latina chairperson of Community Board 7 in Brooklyn. While chairperson of Community Board 7, González worked for environmental justice, waterfront development, and health care for all. González's experience, initiative and commitment to her community have contributed to the improvement of quality of life throughout the District.