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Current Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. both took part in the conversation, which aired Monday on BronxNet and touched on housing, homelessness, education, youth employment, gun violence, food insecurity and other issues. Watch it below.
On April 29, the multimedia department at CUNY’s Lehman College, in collaboration with BronxNet TV, hosted a student-led forum for the two Democratic candidates vying to be the next Bronx borough president.
Current Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. were both in attendance to answer questions presented by Lehman College students, including sophomore Amen Dilawar and senior Jovan Figueroa (this author). Gary Axelbank, a Lehman College graduate from the class of ’75 and current host of the weekly show BronxTalk, moderated the open forum, which aired Monday night.
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Among other issues, the candidates were asked about housing insecurity and the borough’s homeless population, and what their leadership would do to move the Bronx closer to a sustainable and just housing future.
While borough presidents have only an advisory role in the city’s land use decisions, their recommendations can help shape housing proposals.
“It is unacceptable that any family in our city and in our borough goes to bed at night in a homeless shelter. It is unacceptable, it is not what we stand for as a borough and we must do better,” said Gibson, a former state assemblywoman and city councilmember who took office as borough president in 2021.
Gibson said she will focus on “accelerating affordable housing, making sure that it is really affordable.”
“Looking at protected classes like seniors and veterans and people with disabilities, and runaway and homeless youth and foster youth and domestic violence survivors is an important component,” she said. “Making sure that programs like FHEPS and CityFHEPS vouchers are real for families. Investing in public housing, because it’s the largest affordable housing that we represent in the city of New York.”
Councilmember Salamanca Jr, who was elected to his South Bronx seat via special election in 2016 and chairs the Council’s Land Use Committee, had the opportunity to answer the same question.
“Homelessness is something that I’m extremely passionate about,” he said. “My Council district has over 60 homeless shelters, in the South Bronx, in the 17th district. I have more homeless shelters than any of the other 50 Councilmembers that exist out there. But I’m also building the most affordable housing in the entire city of New York.”
He pointed to a bill he sponsored, passed by the Council in 2019, that requires developers that receiving city funding to set aside 15 percent of apartments for people experiencing homelessness.
Each candidate was also given time to offer general opening and closing remarks to the audience.
“Is food more expensive? Do you feel safe when you leave your home, when you’re going to the bodega, or to church or taking public transportation? Our families are paying more and getting less and yet we keep hearing the same promises without real results,” Salamanca said.
He spoke of securing billions of dollars for his district in the nine years since he took office, including millions for local schools and playgrounds, and pushing to close a longtime jail in Hunts Point.
“I’m a product of the South Bronx, I was born and raised here and I’m currently raising my 10-year-old son here,” the councilmember said. “I run for borough president because Bronx families deserve leadership that fights for them, delivers results and ensures that our borough remains a place where Bronx residents can raise their families and thrive.”
In turn, Borough President Gibson spoke in her remarks about allocating $95 million for the Bronx over the last three budget cycles for local schools, playgrounds, libraries and cultural institutions. She also noted being a graduate of CUNY Baruch and SUNY Albany.
“I am so proud of what SUNY and CUNY have done for me,” she said.
“For my entire professional career I have been proud to represent our great borough of the Bronx, first as a member of the New York State Assembly, then as a member of the New York City Council and now for the last three years serving as your Bronx borough president,” Gibson added. “Waking up everyday, on purpose, with a purpose. Realizing my assignment and my purpose in life which is to make a difference in the lives of 1.4 million residents that live, work and raise their families across our borough.”
Other questions that were asked to BP Gibson and Councilmember Salamanca were on education, youth employment, guns and violence, food insecurity, health and environmental issues.
The entire program lasted under an hour. You can watch the forum in its entirety below.
