Candidate Name: Corinne Arnold
Office Campaigning for: NYS Assembly 66
HAVE YOU EVER VISITED ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?
Yes
ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN HAS NOW OFFICIALLY BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION. UNDER THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE, LAND FORMALLY DEDICATED AS PARKLAND CANNOT BE SOLD, LEASED, OR USED FOR NON-PARK PURPOSES WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION. IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU VOTE TO REMOVE ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN AS PARKLAND IF THAT VOTE TOOK PLACE?
No
PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOVE
In all cases, I will support Elizabeth Street Garden remaining a parkland. Yes, we need more housing, but not every site is the right place for it. The Elizabeth Street Garden is a vital space that improves the wellbeing of our community. Greenspaces in the community are proven to have health and quality of life benefits. Spaces like this should be completely protected and should not be sold, leased, or used for non-park purposes. We can build housing where it makes sense. However, we need to preserve the places that already serve countless members of our neighborhood. We have to ensure development aligns with neighborhood infrastructure, preserves livability, and includes existing residents in the conversation. The Elizabeth Street Garden should remain an accessible natural space that benefits all members of the community.
THE PLAN THAT SAVES ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN WILL DELIVER 10X THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS. IN ADDITION TO FAR MORE UNITS, THE ALTERNATIVE SITE PLAN ENSURES THAT THE AFFORDABILITY WILL BE PERMANENT, UNLIKE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD'VE DESTROYED THE GARDEN. DO YOU PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS PLAN?
Yes
PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOVE
I support a solution that both preserves critical community space like Elizabeth Street Garden and meaningfully increases permanently affordable housing— but only if it is realistic, fully funded, and can actually be delivered on a clear timeline. I will also work to re-vitalize up to 50,000 vacant apartments in order to create affordable housing throughout the city. New York City is in a housing crisis, and we need to build more housing—including deeply affordable housing—at scale. At the same time, neighborhoods like ours are already lacking accessible green space, especially for seniors, families, and residents who rely on places like the Garden as a community anchor. I’m open to alternative site proposals that claim to deliver more housing and preserve the Garden, but they must be rigorously vetted. That means confirming the sites are viable, the financing is secured, and the affordability is truly permanent—not just promised. Too often, these debates become either/or. I don’t believe that’s acceptable. We need leadership that pushes for both: protecting valuable community assets and accelerating the creation of affordable housing in a way that is feasible and equitable. If elected, I will work with all stakeholders to ensure we are pursuing solutions that actually deliver results—not just proposals that sound good on paper.
IF ELECTED, DO YOU PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN REMAINS PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY AND CONTINUES TO BE OPERATED BY ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN, INC.?*
Yes