As she prepares to begin her fourth year in office, Councilmember Sandra Ung delivered her third annual State of the District address at Glow Cultural Center on December 11. The Councilmember touched on some of the accomplishments and challenges of 2024, while outlining her goals for the coming year.
“The annual State of the District address is an opportunity to connect with the residents of our community, share the progress we’ve made together over the past year, and outline my vision for what we can achieve in the year ahead with their continued support,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “I’m deeply grateful to the talented performers from the Youth Orchestra, CYCNY and the YWCA of Queens Evergreen Korean Drum Team for setting the tone for the evening with their wonderful performances. I also want to thank Glow Cultural Center for once again hosting this event and for their ongoing dedication to fostering cultural and community engagement in Flushing.”
In her speech, Councilmember Ung outlined funding she secured for the district in Fiscal Year 2025, her ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in downtown Flushing and the surrounding neighborhoods, legislation she passed in the City Council, and her goals for the coming year.
In the last budget, Councilmember Ung allocated additional funds to provide pro bono services focused on providing constituents assistance applying for government benefits and legal services, over $5.5 million for capital projects at schools across District 20, and $145,000 to the Flushing BID for additional cleaning services, as well as $160,000 to the Department of Sanitation for mobile litter patrols to supplement regular sanitation services.
In total, Councilmember Ung secured over $20 million in funding for her district in the last budget.
As part of the City Council’s Budget Negotiation Team, Councilmember Ung and her colleagues also restored $58.3 million to the budgets of the city’s three library systems. The funding allowed the Flushing Library to resume Sunday service, which was eliminated following cuts by the Adams administration. The funding was also baselined, protecting it from future cuts.
The 109th Precinct is one of the largest in the city, which prompted a proposal to operate a satellite precinct out of the Police Academy in College Point that would patrol the northern neighborhoods of the precinct. At the time, Councilmember Ung said she supported the proposal as long as precinct resources were not diverted from downtown Flushing and other parts of her district.
The satellite precinct opened approximately six weeks ago, and the precinct received 66 new officers to staff it, as well as provide additional officers for the 109th Precinct in downtown Flushing, which now patrols the two southernmost sectors, which make up the majority of District 20.
Since then, 911 response times in Councilmember Ung’s district have fallen dramatically – by up to 39 percent in some neighborhoods.
Over the past year, Councilmember Ung passed legislation to increase the penalties for businesses that violate stoop line stand regulations by displaying merchandise on public sidewalks, a contributing factor along with unlicensed vending to the congestion in downtown Flushing.
Following a request by the Councilmember to then-Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the department committed to expanding vending enforcement to weekends.
Looking ahead, Councilmember Ung promised to ensure that Flushing benefits from the ongoing development at Willets Point, including support for nonprofits and the small business community, as well as improved sanitation and beautification efforts in the community.
“We know that growth can bring challenges, but it also brings opportunities,” said Councilmember Ung. “Our goal must be to manage this growth responsibly and ensure that it enhances the quality of life for everyone in Flushing. As I prepare to begin my fourth year in office, I remain committed to fighting for our community, and I truly appreciate the trust and support of the people I am honored to represent.”
