Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now we continue our series, 51 Council Members in 52 weeks. We are inviting all the New York City Council members one per week for the whole year, neighborhood by neighborhood. We're doing this because it's a new era in the New York City Council as well as in the mayor's office, there are mostly new members this year because of term limits. Women make up the majority of council members for the first time ever.

This is Week 6, and today we're talking to one of those women District Six council member, Gale Brewer, who is newly elected to her old city council seat. She held the same office before spending eight years as Manhattan Borough President. Now she's back in city council. District 6 includes all of Central Park and parts west from roughly 54th Street on the west side to to 108th Street on the west side, some of Manhattan Valley, though within that area as part of District 7. It's basically Manhattan, west of the park, and from 54th Street up to 108th Street. Councilmember Brewer, congratulations on your hybrid reelection, new election, and welcome back to WNYC in your new role.

Gale Brewer: Thank you very much, Brian. I want you to know that years ago, Borough President by the name of Stanley Isaacs, he did the same thing. He was Borough President and then he went back to the city council, so I'm not the only one. [laughs]

Brian Lehrer: No. There's people who've gone from city council to state legislature and back to city council we know as well. How different is the job now that you've been Borough President for eight years, and now back of representing one district in the city from speaking for all Manhattan as Borough President?

Gale Brewer: I think it's the same issues whether you're Manhattan Borough President or city council, you're still-- as you know if you heard earlier public safety, senior small business. Of course I did 200 ULURPs, Uniform Land Use Review Procedures as Borough President. That's going to give me a real insight into that topic citywide. The issues are the same. I'm excited to delve into the budget, and to hearings and topics that will come before us from these new members of the administration and I look forward to moving agendas. I think you can do that as a city council and I'm head of the Oversight and Investigations Committee. We could work on many different issues. I'm part of the leadership team. I'm excited to be here.

Brian Lehrer: Oversight and Investigation, so Mayor Adams should be afraid of you, it sounds like.

Gale Brewer: I like people to be afraid of me, as long as we're all going to work together to get things done, but I know that he's not-- I don't think he's afraid of anybody. Do you? I think he's pretty calm about such things and so am I.

Brian Lehrer: We invited you before we went on the air to list some of the top priorities for your new office as city councilor again, and one of them that you listed is public safety for all. Of course, we were just speaking about that with DA Gonzalez in the previous segment. I know you've spoken about the nexus of mental illness, which we were just talking about at the end, and homelessness and public safety. Is that what you mean by for all?

Gale Brewer: I do because in the challenges of being 2022, post-COVID, I hope, I think that people are concerned. It's not the only issue if you live in public housing, and we have many such residents on the Upper West Side. That is your number one concern. I can tell you that's where a lot of calls come in, but even today, I think somebody at the 72nd Street subway got punched by somebody who was probably mentally ill. I know people are afraid of that. The question is, what are we going to do about it? I know the DA Brooklyn was articulately addressing it.

Even things like social workers in schools have to be in every single school and mental health services so that people get the help and the families get the help. Then I believe that things like when you are coming down from any kind of incarceration upstate, instead of going to the shelter system, which is what you do now if you don't have a home, people should be going to programs like Exodus and Odyssey House and Fortune Society that help people who have peer to peer support, not just go into the shelters.

Then when you are leaving the-- I assume you're not all going to end up at Rikers, I hope you're going to get arraigned at 100 Centre Street in Manhattan. There should be social workers and mental health professionals right there, so that you don't have to go back out on the street for the unknown and perhaps doing the same thing over and over again. When I say mental health, I believe you have to literally hold people's hands to get them back on track. I don't think we're doing that.

Brian Lehrer: We'll say that it was one of your constituents whose name unfortunately is now very well known in death, Michelle Go, who was pushed onto the subway tracks and killed by a man who according to reporting by the New York Times suffered from schizophrenia, and spent years in and out of hospitals and jails and programs before committing this horrible crime pushing her to her death on the subway tracks at Times Square.

There was another recent death in your district that's linked, although no crime was committed that of a woman Beatrice Diaz, who was run over by a van after having laid down in the street, something she had been known to do according to the reporting. The West Side Rack spoke to several people who had tried to intervene and get her help over previous weeks, but to no avail. Do you think there are holes? You just said there are holes in the mental health system, but how do you fill them effectively to get enough of these individuals help before incidents like these happen?

Gale Brewer: Well, the person who pushed Michelle Go-- the sister of that man had said, "Keep him in the hospital," that was also in the New York Times story. I think that there are many, many holes that are very, very clear to those of us who work with these individuals. I had 35 foster care kids. Some of them were mentally ill. Some of them did end up at Rikers Island. If I wasn't there to catch them when they came out, they, God forbid, would have done something worse than stealing a bicycle or other things that they did. I feel that there are many holes. I know that that's where we should be putting our energy.

Some of the folks at some of the precincts in Harlem are doing this Be Heard program where you have responses that are both police and mental health workers. I think that should be extended. I think some people have to end up at Creedmoor or more long term support mechanisms, but we're not doing it now. There are plenty of holes. I just listed some of them and I'm sure there are many more.

We also, of course, need the support of housing. These hotels that are available, there are some on the Upper West Side. If, in fact, they are permanent supportive housing with a quality nonprofit, I support them whether the community does or does not, but you have to have all of those ingredients and they can't be too large. They have to be ones that are small in size. Our problem is that this number of singles is increasing in the homeless population. I have a feeling that many of the people you're talking about and that the DA is talking about are homeless individuals. They need help. I don't think that we're doing the proper mental health support. Absolutely.

Brian Lehrer: My guest is Gale Brewer. Now back in city council after eight years as Manhattan Borough President in our series, 51 Council Members in 52 Weeks as with so much turnover and city council this year, it's majority new. We're interviewing every council member in order of their districts. We are up to District 6, which is mostly the Upper West Side and we can take a few phone calls for Gale Brewer at 212-433-WNYC. 212-433-9692, or tweet a question at Brian Lehrer.

Let's go on to another priority that you listened to us before we went on the air. On Saturday, a Danish man got some pushback when he tweeted out something about how unlike in Copenhagen, you see no old people on the streets in New York, and I think he was affiliated with NYU so maybe he didn't get up to your district much, but there are definitely senior citizens walking the streets on the Upper West Side. That's your second priority, making the city age-friendly. How is it not?

Gale Brewer: I think that first of all, yes, we see many, many seniors either walking around or having their wonderful walkers and even wheelchairs. I think there are a few things. Number one, we have to make sure that there are benches. I know that sounds silly for those of us who are not in need of sitting but you have to have benches. You need bathrooms that are accessible at the restaurant or even we have to think of public bathrooms. I know this is the arts, or places that the seniors want to go but they have to be affordable. Of course, for those in the wheelchairs and I know there's a discussion today about the open restaurants taking place at the City Council.

Enough space for the wheelchairs to be on the streets and to, when possible, get into stores. The doors have to be accessible. You can't have a really heavy door to get into a store. Of course, just even though you're not walking about, the issue of digital literacy is a huge issue. Lack of, because we learned during the pandemic, not only did students not have the devices and the access but telemedicine was a real desired application for seniors and it wasn't always available.

Of course, we know many seniors don't have the devices. They don't know how to use them. We need to work on digital literacy. I'd love the libraries to be open more hours. I know we have some hours supposedly seven days a week, but they're not really seven days a week. We want also food. Believe it or not, I know this is really sad, but even with all of the pandemic meals which to the credit of Catherine Garcia went much better after she took over the process, there are seniors today telling me that there's just not enough being served of them and they are homebound.

There are many, many ways that seniors can still be-- I do say age-friendly is not just out on the street it's also in the home. Very soon, if not now, there are more seniors in our city than there are people 18 and under. It's an important body. Of course, I haven't mentioned transportation. Buses have to come on time, seniors don't love the subways and they want to be able to get around and they don't want to be hit by a bicycle. I know that's the number one concern. That's something that is hard to address, but we're trying. Those are just some of the issues that seniors bring to my attention. I'm one of them, by the way, just in case people didn't know.

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles]Gabriel on the Upper West Side, you're on WNYC with Gale Brewer. Hello?

Gabriel: Hey Brian, how you doing? Good morning.

Brian Lehrer: Good morning to you.

Gale Brewer: Good morning.

Gabriel: Oh, great. Hey Gale, how are you? It's so good to have you guys both on the air. You guys are some real New York heroes, and this is actually a very special morning to have you guys both. Gale, I had a question for you. About a week ago, I was approached by an elderly houseless woman in the ATM section of a city bank on the Upper West Side, it was about 10 degrees outside. She asked me if I could help her and I asked her exactly what she needed in terms of help. She told me that she had a social worker who was not really being helpful.

She was living in a shelter right now. She lost her cell phone. She needed so much and all I could think of was you and your office. I was like, you got to get in touch with Gale Brewer. It was freezing outside. She didn't have a phone. I tried to call your office but I think it was actually when you guys were switching over. It sent me to your Manhattan Borough President's office. Really I'm glad that you're on the radio today because I really wanted to ask you what could I do to help a fellow neighbor? She was homeless, but she needed help and I was down to help her. I just did not know exactly where to point her to.

Brian Lehrer: This is so great that you called, Gabriel, because this is something that I think every new yorker should know because how many of us who do have homes have run into people in situations like that. We just walk by because we think there's nothing I can do. Councilmember Brewer, what do you say to Gabriel? Everybody should be listening to this answer.

Gale Brewer: Sure. Well, my phone number in the office and I'm sorry that you didn't get us, but it's 212-873-0282. I'm here now. The issue is in that particular case, I would've immediately called the shelter where she said she was or come down to where you were in the city bank and figured it out. Hopefully, even you will call and you'll tell us which city bank lobby. If you were able to get a name, even with a name, I could figure out through the department of homeless services what shelter she's at and I would follow up.

I've done this I have to say quite a few times during the last year where I've run into people. It is funny a lot of the homeless individuals know me or know Rosa or Rodriguez from my office. They often just ''Gale'' call me on the street. I will be glad to follow up. This is something that could be done. Thank you, Gabriel, for being you.

Brian Lehrer: Gabriel, thank you for your call. Call us again. This is WNYC FM HDN AM, New York. WNJT-FM 88.1 Trenton, WNJP 88.5 Sussex, WNJY 89.3 Netcong, and WNJO 90.3 Toms River. We are New York and New Jersey Public Radio. A few more minutes with City Council Member Gale Brewer back in City Council after eight years as Manhattan Borough President in our series 51 Council Members in 52 Weeks interviewing every City Council member in this year of so much turnover in New York City.

For this series, as some of our listeners know, we're asking, we're inviting everyone to bring something from the district for show and tell, not literally since it's radio. You can be pretty creative in what you bring. I know you prepared something for us. I don't know what it is. What did you bring us from District 6, mostly Upper West Side for show and tell?

Gale Brewer: Well, you know that Central Park is part of District 6 and I had a lot to do with the Central Park women's rights pioneer monument also known as the Suffragist with Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Katie Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. We inaugurated them. This wonderful, wonderful statue by Meredith Bergman on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment. That was August 26th, 2020. I have to say it is a beautiful, beautiful monument, and it is a draw in Central Park. People come from all over the world just to see it. That's what I brought to you today. If New Yorkers haven't seen it on the mall in Central Park, they should go see it. It's very fabulous.

Brian Lehrer: That is fascinating. What else does it mean to be the City Council Member from Central Park? [chuckles] People don't live there, but in some respect, if you look at the map, you represent Central Park. What does that mean?

Gale Brewer: It means a couple of things. Obviously, it means that you visit with the Central Park precinct and they don't have a lot of issues, but they do visit. They have 43 or 42 million visitors every year, at least pre-pandemic. Those issues come up, you also have a say about some of the landmarks issues because right now as we speak, there has been a final sign-off on the designation of the new Delacorte Theater. That was a lot of back and forth about what it should look like.

Obviously, there'll be a new Lasker Rink in the Northern part of Central Park. I think there are more issues than you would think that come up. There are what should be the-- how many public program should exist? What should be the role of the bicycles, the pedestrians, the horses? I hate to think of that topic coming up again, but you can imagine there are many, many topics that come up in Central Park. We also want to make sure that the birders have what they need. There's a bald eagle there now is causing a lot of excitement. Many things that are a part of Central Park that you wouldn't know you're right. They're very special to me, playgrounds that need restoration for instance, because it's so, so well utilized.

Brian Lehrer: I hope the bald eagle gets along with the ducks because the last segment we did on Central Park was about the ducks there a few weeks ago. John, on the Upper West Side, one more call for City Councilmember Gale Brewer. Hi, John.

John: Hi Brian, how are you? Councilmember, I want to congratulate you on your victory. My question today is related to the dark stores here on the Upper West Side. As you know, we have a problem with vacancies, and I just want to check in on your pending legislation and also how the dark store is contributing to the e-bike traffic in the neighborhood.

Gale Brewer: Well, thank you, John, for that question. I was the one even as Borough President and now with City Council that has taken the lead to say, I think the dark stores should go. I hope that they do as you know this big new one on 88th and Broadway, Joker as it's called. These dark stores for those who don't know are stores that you can't go into as a customer, they are app only and they deliver food and they say in 15 minutes. There are three or four issues. Number one, are they legal? Because they're warehouses. If you can't go in, they're warehouses.

Is that legal in retail zoning? I don't think so, so I wrote a letter, we're doing another letter to the administration trying to get an answer from the department of buildings and the department of city planning. Number one. Number two, I mentioned bicycles earlier. We're trying really hard to work with the delivery people and those of us who just bicycle to say you have to follow the rules of the road. It's very hard to follow the rules of a road if you're supposed to get people their macaroni and cheese and their cereal in 15 minutes. I think it's wrong to the delivery people and I think it's wrong to have such a business plan.

Number three, I'm also concerned about how the food is being prepared. Do they have the right scales? All of these things that-- bodegas and grocery stores, which we love, we don't want them to go. I worry that these large warehouses, as I call them, will drive out the bodegas and the grocery stores, which I think is what their business model is. Most of them have VCs and hedge funds behind them. They're not like the local grocery store, which often only has a 1% margin. I am fighting these tooth and nail. It's not easy because people do want to be convenient and call them, but if you're going to call, call FreshDirect or call some of these other, to be honest with you, legal warehousing.

I know that people complain about the trucks on the street, but FreshDirect is illegally at a warehouse site in the Bronx. I do not like these dark stores. People could say they're filling vacancies, but they're filling vacancies with what I would consider a bad streetscape. Nothing is worse than walking down the street and seeing total walls and windows covered. In fact, in the Upper West Side, that's not legal. I passed the bill stating that there has to be a certain percentage, 50% of that window has to be available to the public.

Brian Lehrer: One more question about the streetscape since that's what you brought up, that's what the caller brought up. You mentioned before that there's an issue before a city council subcommittee this very morning making outdoor dining permanent. I did see that there was a rally opposed to that this past weekend down in the village. What are you hearing from your constituents and what's your position on it?

Gale Brewer: Well, the hearing is taking place as we speak. I hope to go back to it because I actually am a member of the committee that is hearing the hearing so to speak. I think that the new proposal that is the Department of Transportation and the mayor have promoted, has merit in the sense that there should be restaurants with open spaces for dining in both the street and the sidewalk. However, and this is the big however, and I know the concerns of people, some people in my district, certainly in the Lower East Side and in Community Board 2 which is the village. The issue is who is going to be the enforcer? That's always been the challenge.

How is it that this city doesn't have enough, both education as to what the laws are and then when you don't follow them, how do you get penalized? Are we doing complaint-based only? Does the Department of Transportation, which is going to take over according to the mayor of this restaurant program, do they have enough inspectors? Are they trained? Are they going to stay? Are they going to be ongoing with their program? That's a question, Brian, as the Borough President, as the previous council member, and as being in the government for a long time, never seems to get right and we've got to get that right. All the [crosstalk] the noise, the sanitation--

Brian Lehrer: The noise, sanitation, people with cars don't like that it takes parking spots in some places. Can the transportation department prevent against rat infestations that's not officially a transportation function?

Gale Brewer: These are the questions that we need to have answered at the hearing today and when they are doing their rules and regulations. The answer is I haven't seen it yet. It's not just rats, it's like noise. That's usually the Department of Environmental Protection. How is the OT going to do this on interagency basis? It can't be just complaint-based. You have to go out and figure out something more of an oversight capacity in my opinion.

Brian Lehrer: All right. About a minute left, ready to finish with a little lightning ground, quick questions, quick answers?

Gale Brewer: Sure.

Brian Lehrer: What's the most common reason in your experience as a city council member that constituents have contacted your office?

Gale Brewer: In today's world, it's public safety and public housing. Those are the two concerns. I put public safety along with quality of life, what you talked about, sanitation, rats, scaffolding, bicycles, cars, but it's those three that are the most prevalent in terms of the calls and the emails.

Brian Lehrer: Did you have any political heroes growing up?

Gale Brewer: As you know, I worked for Ruth Messinger years ago and she is my political hero.

Brian Lehrer: What's your least favorite thing about living in New York?

Gale Brewer: That's a hard question because I assume some of these sanitation issues. When you see sanitation piled up and you think to yourself, there must be a better way because rats and other vermin and health concerns are going to be resulting. I would say figuring out a way to deal with the sanitation and some of these health-related issues that come from them like rats.

Brian Lehrer: Finally, what's one recent book or movie you would recommend to the listeners to read or to see?

Gale Brewer: Well, I like the New York, New York, New York by Thomas Dyja. He's a West Sider and it's all about starting with-- all the way up to the Koch administration, all about our city for the last 40 years and it's a great read.

Brian Lehrer: It adds one New York. Is that what I heard? New York, New York, New York?

Gale Brewer: New York, New York, New York, yes. Three New Yorks.

Brian Lehrer: Gale Brewer, now back in city council representing District 6, mostly the Upper West Side and Central Park. We'll move on next week in our series 51 Council Members in 52 Weeks to the representative from District 7. Councilmember Brewer, thank you so much.

Gale Brewer: Thank you very much.

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