Shahana Hanif talks reelection campaign, and why she’s not seeking DSA endorsement

The Democratic primary challenge to Brooklyn City Council Member Shahana Hanif has attracted interest from nearly all corners of the city. But one group that won’t be getting involved in the high-profile race – at least not with an official endorsement – is the New York City Democratic Socialists of America.

Hanif, co-chair of the council’s progressive caucus and the first Muslim woman in the council, is facing a serious primary challenge from a Jewish Brennan Center academic Maya Kornberg. Though Hanif is a member of DSA, the group backed another candidate in the race she first won, the crowded 2021 Democratic primary. In her 2023 reelection bid, Hanif didn’t face a competitive challenge.

Hanif isn’t seeking the DSA’s endorsement this time around, despite the volunteers and fundraising support that endorsement could bring. But she is still the farther left candidate in the race. Kornberg, who identifies as a “pragmatic progressive,” has emerged as a primary opponent after Hanif fielded complaints from Jewish constituents about a lack of concern for antisemitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Kornberg has support from pro-Israel residents and the pro-Israel Solidarity PAC, though she recently called for outside groups to stay out of the race. 

In the latest example in the district, the Israeli Park Slope restaurant Miriam was vandalized. Hanif condemned the graffiti sprayed on the restaurant’s walls as antisemitic and said the “hateful act threatens the safety of our community.”

In mounting her reelection bid, Hanif has so far out-raised Kornberg and will likely be able to max out on spending with city public matching funds. Her support, Hanif said, comes from residents across the district, including from immigrant communities, residents concerned about street safety and composting, and parents and young families – all among the groups she said she’s fought for in her first term in the council. Looking ahead, one priority bill for Hanif is Intro 214, which would create a right for individuals detained in violation of the city’s sanctuary policies to sue for civil damages.

City & State caught up with Hanif earlier this month, a couple weeks before the Miriam incident, about how she squares “North Star” progressive ideas like disbanding jails with reality, criticism on Israel, and what she sees as her accomplishments in her first term. Among them: constituent services work, legislation aimed at protecting abortion rights, and creating a “Workers Bill of Rights.” This interview was conducted on Jan. 17. It has been edited for length and clarity.

What do you see as your greatest accomplishment in the council?

Delivering for the district, both in terms of legislation and constituent services. I have been responsive. I’ve been consistent. And in areas where there’s been feedback or criticism, I’ve been open to – not just open, but I’ve met with residents, more than once, if necessary, and have done my best to grow and learn. I understand my leadership in this role to be one that is not fixed – or rather, one that is shaped by the constituency.

You mentioned on a recent mailer that you had expanded your constituent services team. Did you hire new people, or shift others around?

I hired one more person. There’s one constituent services director that’s full time. And then I have a part-time liaison, a constituent services staff member who is part time in Kensington. This staff member is fluent in Bangla, which has made a tremendous impact. This has been a community where I grew up, where I was raised. My family is rooted there, I went to school there. When I started working with (former City Council Member) Brad (Lander) during Trump’s first term, the community was very much absent from interacting with government services. So I had made it my mission to ensure that they knew that these services that Brad was working to win and advance are for our community – and at the same time, that government could be trusted. So fostering that trust had been something that I started during Brad’s time, and to now see the ways in which this work has grown. We offer a legal services clinic every Friday, and that has been the most utilized service in my district. … So now we have a third constituent services director, and what we’re going to be doing in the coming days is actually create portfolios based on neighborhoods. So we have our constituent services person who is in charge of the portfolio that includes Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and the Columbia (Street) waterfront. We have a rep that is going to work solely on issues within Windsor Terrace and Park Slope. And then my part-time staffer who is already handling Kensington and Borough Park sections for Hamilton Parkway. … Sometimes a neighborhood has an issue that requires more time. Like right now in Columbia waterfront, the concrete recycling facility. I’ve been very involved. My staff has been very involved. … We also, in Kensington and NYCHA, have recurring food pantries.

What prompted you to expand the constituent services team, or put more resources there?

Mayor (Eric) Adams, from day one, has had an inefficient operation within his agency infrastructure. And then year after year, we’ve only seen the resources dwindling. And so that has meant that if there’s a (Department of Housing Preservation and Development)-related issue, my staff has had to build more expertise to be a kind of stand-in, while we wait to receive details or support from HPD, because they’re trying to give responses to so many council members, and they’re very short-staffed. Same thing with the Department of Buildings, Sanitation.

So the expansion of that team wasn’t a response to your opponent’s criticism on constituent services?

No. I mean, my opponent just got started. The functions of the constituent services – I have a six-month evaluation, we like to put out what the top issues were, how many constituents raised that issue as a complaint, and then we shift. This is a flexible part of the office where it really is driven by what we’re witnessing. And also, as I’ve gotten more comfortable in the position and have more name recognition, more people are reaching out to us. … The staff ratio to constituents reaching out does not match. And of course, always pushing to receive more funding for individual council offices, to be able to provide really adequate, efficient services.

It was recently reported that your campaign website removed references pledges to “defund the police” and “disband the use of jails and prisons.” Why did you make those changes, and do you still support those pledges?

They’re all archived. The website is refreshed to this moment. And so this is a new campaign. I’m a candidate, and I have more to say on all of those issues. So we’re editing the website, and that’s a reality. I didn’t buy a new domain. On public safety, that is an issue that I’ve had leadership around in terms of legislation, but also pushing back on the NYPD’s headcount and the money spent to increase their budget and their headcount. Because we’ve seen that it doesn’t correlate with, “Now we’ve got this many police officers, and the rate of crime has gone down.” … I’ve been very clear in the need to invest in housing, education, mental health care. Win Rozario’s murder just showed once again that the NYPD should not be tasked with responding to mental health crises. However, I have great relationships with my local precincts. I work with them frequently – I would say, on a daily basis – to address quality-of-life issues: abandoned cars, noise complaints, impediments on the bike lane or street closures for community events. … There were a few months where women in Park Slope were being harassed and sexually assaulted – I called for more patrol and a person was taken in.

Do you still support those pledges, though – to defund the police and disband the use of jails and prisons? Or has your thinking shifted on that?

I mean, you’re saying it out of context. That whole section was created following the days George Floyd was murdered. And our entire city, and I would say that my district in particular, participated in all of the marches. We had our own mini marches. Schools were marching. And that time really highlighted to New Yorkers that, look, Black and brown people are disproportionately impacted when police are interacting with them. Something’s wrong with that. And when we think about safety, the North Star should be that we have adequate housing, quality education, mental health care services, where we are not just caging people in jails. I mean, look at Rikers. People are being held there for pre-trial detention. And our (City Council) speaker has been very firm on following the law to close Rikers by its legal mandate. But we are continuing to cage people who continue to also die and fall victim to a system that is really hell bent on caging people, and not necessarily working on their rehabilitation and having the infrastructure in our communities where they can thrive. I represent a district that is – in comparison to some of the stories I hear from my colleagues – a very low crime district. The issues I hear about when it comes to liaise with the NYPD is around bike safety. There have been bike crashes that I’ve been very engaged around to make sure that there’s a recourse and someone is held accountable. … There’s been a chain of burglaries and break-ins last year along the Fifth Avenue restaurant corridor. The businesses themselves felt like the (Police Department) was not responding to them. But I created a working group of sorts that includes the (Police Department), that includes the Sanitation Department, that includes the main restaurants within the Fifth Avenue BID’s jurisdiction. And that partnership has led to (that) there’s been no incidents through the end of the year to now. … So I think if you are to ask me, disband jails right now? I’m rooted in reality. I’m a leader who recognizes that police are frontline. And that my constituents will call. And I support whichever route a victim takes, and I’m grateful that right now I’m able to work with the police department and our officers in a very respectful way, and that there’s a good partnership, and that’s what I want. Because my constituents deserve the best.

You’ve faced backlash from members of the Jewish community over voting against the resolution to create “End Jew Hatred Day,” over comments about Israel and not immediately condemning Hamas’ attacks, and over what some say they see as a lackluster response to antisemitic incidents in the district. What’s your response to those complaints, and how do you view your own relationships with Jewish communities in your district?

I'll once again just say I categorically condemn Hamas’ atrocities. If they want me to use specific words, I’m sorry that I haven’t said the specific words that they wanted to hear maybe, but I have consistently condemned Hamas’ atrocities, and I continue to call for the safe return of all remaining hostages. And a ceasefire. Yes, I’ve been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire. There are people who don’t want a ceasefire. But I’m thinking about humanity and peace. I’ve also stood against hate in all forms – antisemitism, Islamophobia, all types of violence and discrimination. My roots are in interfaith organizing. Because I’m a kid that grew up in the background of 9/11 – I was 10 years old – and I witnessed the impact it had on Kensington. Families that were separated without any kind of explanation. Police in our mosques. … Growing up in that environment, it was default for me to see social justice from a faith perspective. I’ve introduced bills to address antisemitism and promote religious diversity in public schools. … I’ve supported Holocaust education programs. I’m very proud that our city is investing $2.5 million for Holocaust education. And I also organized a field trip to the Museum of Jewish Heritage with Millennium High School in my district with the principal. And that was very, very meaningful. … I’ve also heard the concerns around security – both coming from yeshivas and Islamic schools. I’ve sponsored legislation that increases the security funding for the smaller, non-public schools. I think these times are showing that we need every tool to ensure that our youngest feel safe and feel that there’s repercussions if hate takes place. … I sit with Jewish constituents regularly who are coming in to share an experience. But there are a lot of Jewish constituents who have supported what I’ve shared, and I want to make sure that we acknowledge that there’s a diversity of Jewish constituents, as there is a diversity of Muslim constituents. And sure, one community can say that those people don’t represent us, but you can’t say that. I’m sorry, we’re heterogeneous. We’re not a homogenous group. And so I’ve been fortunate to both organize with Jewish constituents who deeply believe in a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. And this impending Trump administration. We need tested and tried leaders right now. So this has been an ongoing partnership that I feel really strongly about, and I want to continue to demonstrate my commitment. And also, I’m not perfect. I’m not going to act like what I’m saying is the ultimate truth. I’m here to learn, and I will make adjustments. I don’t want to put constituents in danger because of something I said. My communication, perhaps, has not always been perfect, but I appreciate all the constituents who have taken the time to both bring me in or have responded to me to meet with them. I want to make sure that my constituents feel safe, seen and heard.

Do you plan to seek the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America in this race?

No. 

Why not?

I want enough resources for myself, to be honest. … What I learned in 2021 and 2023 has been that the power of my race are my constituents. And so my desire is to have the endorsement of as many constituents as possible. So that’s what I've been focused on, and ensuring that our volunteer base – at a time when, you know, there are exciting mayoral candidates, there are some open seats across the city for council – that I have my constituents focused on their council member and our collective work.

When you say resources, you mean that DSA will be sending people out to mayor, to other races?

Yeah. And there’s nothing against them. I just want to be clear that I’m confident that the endorsement of my constituents is how I win.

There was a hearing recently on a hot topic in your district right now – the Arrow Linen rezoning proposal that would create two new apartment buildings in Windsor Terrace. Is there a specific threshold for affordable housing in that proposal that would win your support? 

I don’t want to give away what I’ve been negotiating, but there is going to be a project. There is going to be housing. And there’s going to be affordable housing. At this stage, I’m really trying to balance the concerns I’ve heard from my constituents – from the diversity of my constituents – regarding height, regarding affordability, regarding infrastructure upgrades, while also balancing the need for the urgency to build.