As the new City Council term begins and a new state/federal election season gets underway, Bronx officials and candidates are making moves in races for Congress and State Assembly, and their council counterparts are starting new committee leadership assignments.
The South Bronx will be an area to watch as next year’s elections begin to take shape. In addition to several candidates throwing their hat in the ring for Congressional District 15, the race for Assembly District 84 has seen some unexpected news and movement around candidates. In addition, Bronx Council members were appointed to some of the most influential committees.
News from South Bronx Assembly District 84
In an unexpected turn, Assembly Member Amanda Septimo recently announced she was diagnosed with lupus and is suspending her Congressional campaign to challenge Ritchie Torres for District 15.
In an Instagram video, Septimo said she will remain in the Assembly. “I want to be clear that stepping back from this campaign is not a decision to step back from fighting for our community,” she said.
But just as she announced this news, Courtland Hankins, tenant advocate and community coordinator for Bronx Community Board 3, announced his bid for the District 84 Assembly seat.
The district includes the South Bronx neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Port Morris and Hunts Point and parts of Highbridge and Grand Concourse. It has approximately 132,000 residents with a median household income of $35,774, according to 2023 census data
Hankins held a rally outside 700 East 134th Street, where he worked with tenants in 2022 to purchase the building from a negligent landlord.
“I will bring a vision of a vibrant community with renewed energy and spirit, and I will be the best choice to bring those visions to reality by being the hardest working, most visible, most energetic, most responsive, dedicated and committed Assembly person this district has ever seen,” he said in a speech.
The path may have somewhat cleared for Hankins. Following Septimo’s announcement, former Community Board 1 Chair and City Council District 8 candidate Clarisa Alayeto announced she would drop her bid for the Assembly seat and support Septimo.
But Hankins may face a challenge from Christina Cover, a public school teacher and fellow Community Board 1 member, who announced she is “strongly considering” a campaign for Assembly District 84 and held a Jan. 10 fundraiser at the restaurant Seis Vecinos. The campaign did not respond to Bronx Times’ request to confirm whether or not she would run.
Elsewhere in the State Assembly, campaign filings show more potential new candidates vying for some long-held seats. These include Al Quattlebaum, Jake Martin Kuhl and Feliz Omozusi for District 82, currently held by Michael Benedetto; Morgan Evers for District 81, currently held by Jeffrey Dinorwitz; Shery Olivo for District 86, currently held by Yudelka Tapia; and Zakir Choudury for District 87, currently held by Karines Reyes.
City Council news
New committee leaders were appointed at City Council’s first Stated Meeting of the term on Jan. 15, under Speaker Julie Menin.
Newly-elected District 8 council member Elsie Encarnacion, who serves East Harlem and the South Bronx, was named Deputy Whip. Though Encarnacion is new to political office, she is no stranger to the council, having served as chief of staff to term-limited District 8 Council Member and Deputy Speaker, Diana Ayala.
“Once again, District 8 has a seat in Council leadership!” Encarnacion said in a statement. “I will honor that responsibility by showing up and speaking up for the communities that raised me.”
Meanwhile, other Bronx members were tapped to lead some of the council’s most prominent committees.
Kevin Riley, who represents the Co-op City and Wakefield area, has taken over leadership of the Land Use Committee from outgoing South Bronx Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. The committee handles zoning and landmark changes and has major impact on the city’s ability to create more affordable housing.
As Mayor Zohran Mamdani begins to implement his campaign agenda, all eyes will be on Council Member Oswald Feliz, who was tapped to lead the Public Safety committee. Mamdani pledged to implement a Department of Community Safety, which would dispatch social service workers, not police, to address issues of homelessness, addiction and mental illness.
Pierina Sanchez of the northwest Bronx will again serve as chair of Housing and Buildings, amid Mandani’s promise of a crackdown on negligent landlords and a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants.
Amanda Farías, who served as Majority Leader last term, is now leading the Committee on Women and Gender Equity. Former special education teacher Eric Dinowitz, who represents the Kingsbridge-Van Cortlandt area, will chair the Committee on Education, and the Committee on Children and Youth will again be chaired by Althea Stevens.
The newest Bronx representatives will also lead committees. Former union executive Shirley Aldebol will chair the Committee on Civil Service and Labor; Justin Sanchez, who replaced Salamanca Jr., will chair Sanitation and Solid Waste Management; and Encarnacion was named to lead Immigration.
State Senate news
Luis Sepúlveda of District 32, which includes South and Central Bronx neighborhoods, became the first Latino appointed to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees judicial nominations, civil and criminal procedures, constitutional issues, court-related legislation and access to justice.
“Throughout my career as both a practicing attorney and legislator, I have worked tirelessly to make the courts accessible and equitable for everyone,” Sepúlveda said in a statement. “In this new capacity, I will continue carrying that mission forward.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
