Inside Government is a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY features Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. Borough President Richards serves as an advocate for Queens in city government, working alongside the mayor on the city budget while also playing a role in land use decisions within the borough and appointing community board members.
What is one of the lesser-known roles of a borough president that you believe constituents should know more about?
The most hyperlocal level of city government is our community boards, and the borough president is the one who appoints every single member. The 14 community boards offer recommendations and hold hearings on city service delivery, land use applications and more, but for too long, they did not demographically match the communities they serve. That’s why we’ve worked hard to correct those disparities and have made great progress diversifying our community boards.
How do you advocate on behalf of your borough in citywide affairs?
We strongly believe in utilizing the power of our budget. Over the course of the Richards Administration, we have allocated more than $500 million to improve our schools, parks, libraries, hospitals, community centers and so much more. We don’t believe in just advocating for others to invest in us; we believe in taking matters into our own hands and directly addressing the needs of our families.
What are your current priorities for the borough?
Building more affordable housing, transforming Queens into an international entertainment hub and creating thousands of good-paying jobs. We’re doing just that by creating thousands of units of housing from Willets Point to Creedmoor to Arverne and beyond. Queens will soon be home to both NYCFC and Gotham FC, who will play at Etihad Park. And the $20 billion redevelopment of Kennedy Airport is putting Queens residents to work by the thousands.
Is there a current or upcoming project that you are excited to see completed in your borough?
The holistic overhaul of Willets Point is going to be a game-changer for Queens. Not only do the 2,500 units of affordable housing being constructed there represent the city’s largest 100% affordable housing development in 40 years, but the 25,000-seat, all-electric Etihad Park soccer stadium is just a few months away from completion. Next up will be a 650-seat school, a park, retail space and more.
If you could plan the perfect day out in your borough, what would you do?
Starting your day enjoying a morning on Rockaway Beach, followed by lunch at The Door in Southeast Queens and a walk through Flushing Meadows Corona Park. And then, before hitting a Mets game in the evening, grabbing some incredible food from the street vendors in Corona Plaza is a must.
