Official website: http://council.nyc.gov/d33/html/members/home.shtml
Stephen Levin was elected in 2009 to represent the 33rd District in the New York City Council, which includes the diverse communities of Greenpoint, parts of Williamsburg, Vinegar Hill, Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill and parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant.
A native of Plainfield, New Jersey, Stephen moved to Brooklyn to work as a community organizer after graduating from Brown University. Stephen started his career by simultaneously running a Lead Safe House program and an anti-predatory lending program, both based in Bushwick. The Lead Safe House program helped to relocate families of lead-poisoned children out of hazardous apartments. Stephen also used this program to work with homeowners to effectively and efficiently remediate lead contamination. As director of the anti-predatory lending program, Stephen organized homeowners throughout the community through grassroots outreach and community workshops about the dangers of subprime mortgages. Working with the City, local elected officials, and advocacy groups, Stephen was able to galvanize the community against the unscrupulous lending practices that were decimating the neighborhood with foreclosures. In 2006, Stephen went to work for the New York State Assembly, where his non-profit experience allowed him to advocate effectively for constituents.
During his first term in the City Council, Stephen proved to be a leader on education and early childhood issues, and an advocate for increased open space in our communities and transportation safety initiatives. He passed legislation requiring the Dept. of Education to notify families and teachers about potential PCB contamination, and has sponsored resolutions calling for mandatory kindergarten and breakfast-in-the-classroom, as well as stronger standards for Rent Guidelines Board members.
In addition to serving as Chair of the General Welfare Committee, Council Member Levin currently serves on the Cultural Affairs, Education, Environmental Protection, Land Use, and Transportation Committees, as well as the Subcommittee on Landmarks/Public Siting.