A Public Housing Advocate Makes History

On January 3, U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat was sworn into the 115th Congress as its first Dominican-American member and its first member to have been a formerly undocumented immigrant.

Rep. Espaillat, a Democrat, represents New York’s 13th Congressional District, which includes the neighborhoods of Harlem, Inwood, Marble Hill, Spanish Harlem, Morningside Heights, Washington Heights, the Upper West Side, and a small portion of the Bronx. Charles Rangel represented this district until his retirement. Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Rep. Espaillat came to the U.S. with his family as a child and became a U.S. citizen as a young adult.

Rep. Espaillat has been a familiar face in Upper Manhattan for a long time. He served the 31st District in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2016 and the 72nd District in the State Assembly from 1997 to 2010. He advocates for immigrant rights, working families, and affordable housing. One of his plans in Congress is to make sure that the federal government invests in NYCHA. 

“The New York City Housing Authority is a critical and valuable resource to New Yorkers,” Rep. Espaillat said. “Reinvesting in NYCHA programs will ensure sustainable programs and opportunities continue. These programs allow low- and moderate-income residents to have safe and affordable housing and the opportunity to build a stronger future for themselves and for their families.”