Scott Stringer on housing, immigrant protections and Flatbush cleanup: ‘I have skin in the game’

Editor’s Note: This interview has been condensed and some responses paraphrased for length and formatting.

As New York City’s 2025 mayoral race heats up, veteran public servant Scott Stringer is making the case that experience, not novelty, is what the city needs most. With a political career spanning over three decades, including roles as state assemblymember, Manhattan borough president, and most recently, New York City comptroller, Stringer brings institutional knowledge to the table. 

As comptroller from 2014 to 2021, Stringer oversaw the city’s finances and pension funds, led high-profile divestment campaigns from fossil fuels and private prisons, and took on procurement delays that left nonprofits, many serving immigrant communities, struggling to stay afloat. He often clashed with Mayor Bill de Blasio on transparency and contract mismanagement, positioning himself as both a watchdog and a reformer. 

Stringer has also cultivated a longstanding relationship with New York’s Haitian community. 

He appointed Haitian Roundtable chairperson and co-founder, Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, as the first Haitian American deputy borough president during his tenure in Manhattan. 

In the wake of the 2010 earthquake, his office mobilized to support Haitian-led relief efforts. In recognition of his consistent advocacy, the Haitian Roundtable honored him as an ‘honorary Haitian,’ a gesture underscoring his ties to the community he hopes to serve again, this time as mayor.

The Haitian Times: What are your top three priorities for New York City if elected mayor?

Scott Stringer:
I want to tackle affordability. I want to tackle housing. I want to make sure that we ease the burden for working families. I’m raising my two kids in the city—I see what many New Yorkers see. The rent is too high, and we need to build truly affordable housing. My plan would use vacant city-owned land to create the next generation of housing within my first two years in office. I also want to cut child care costs by 50% with my tri-share plan and extend the school day so parents can work full shifts knowing their kids are safe and learning.

THT: You’ve been called a “political mainstay” in New York. Do you embrace that label?

Stringer:
I don’t dispute it. I’ve served the city for over 30 years—as assemblymember, Manhattan borough president, and city comptroller. I’ve consistently fought for working people. That kind of experience matters, especially now. I know how to put the right people in place, avoid corruption, and get things done.  I haven’t just existed in office, I’ve been a reformer in government.

THT: What’s your plan for helping nonprofits with delayed city payments?

Stringer: When I was comptroller, I fought the de Blasio administration over these delays. Small nonprofits can’t wait months for payment—they’ll go under. I proposed procurement reforms to streamline the process and root out bad actors. We also set up an early warning system so nonprofits knew exactly where their contracts stood. That kind of accountability is what I’ll bring as mayor.

THT: Some nonprofit and small business owners say if you don’t have political connections, you’re left out. What would you do to change that?

Stringer:
That’s absolutely a problem. But I’ve been a reformer in every role I’ve held. As borough president, I diversified community boards and brought in local voices. As comptroller, we divested from fossil fuels, guns, and private prisons—moves that took years, not press releases. I don’t just hold office—I use it to reform how the city works.

THT: Our readers worry about immigration policies. What would you say to those who fear losing their legal status or family separation?

Stringer:
I’ll have your back. Whether it’s Haitians or others, immigrants are the backbone of our city. I see kids disappearing from classrooms because families are scared. That’s unacceptable. I’m proposing a $1 billion fund to protect against federal rollbacks—so if Trump or anyone else cuts funding, the city can step in. I’ll use the legal system, my office, and public pressure to protect families.

THT: What do you want voters to remember about Andrew Cuomo?

Stringer:
That he wasn’t a friend to New York City. He cut CUNY funding, slashed MTA budgets, and governed through chaos and scandal. The mayor’s role isn’t solo—it’s about working with others. I build coalitions. Cuomo governs for himself.

THT: In Flatbush, we’ve seen a serious sanitation crisis. What’s your solution?

Stringer:
We’re picking up garbage the same way we did 100 years ago—and it’s failing. In my own neighborhood, I’ve seen garbage piles two stories high. Rats are running wild. We need smarter containerization, underground garbage systems in new developments, and real investment in composting. And yes, we must focus on communities of color that lack the resources of wealthier areas.

THT: Anything else you want to add?

Stringer:
There’s nothing wrong with this city that one good election can’t fix. I want to be a mayor who has skin in the game—because I’m not just running for office. I’m a dad in the public school system. And I want every kid, even the ones I’ll never meet, to know they have someone fighting for them at City Hall.

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