Harvey Epstein: Relationships
Brian P. Kavanagh
Epstein succeeded Kavanagh in the 74th Assembly District after Kavanagh won election to the State Senate in a 2017 special election . The two collaborated extensively on housing policy, including co-sponsoring legislation to legalize basement apartments and jointly testifying before city agencies on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project . Kavanagh chaired the Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development while Epstein chaired the Assembly Subcommittee on Retention of Homeownership and Stabilization of Affordable Housing, making them a paired force on tenant protection legislation .
Brad Hoylman-Sigal
State Senator Hoylman-Sigal has been one of Epstein's closest legislative partners, with the two working together on tenant protections, the fight to save Beth Israel Hospital, opposition to the Stuyvesant Town combined heat and power plants, and advocacy for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project . They jointly authored op-eds and co-signed numerous public statements on behalf of Lower Manhattan constituents .
Keith Powers
Epstein worked closely with then-Council Member Keith Powers on Stuyvesant Town tenant issues, including the elimination of Major Capital Improvement rent increases and the campaign against fossil fuel power plants in the complex . After Epstein resigned his Assembly seat to join the City Council, Powers was selected by the Manhattan Democratic committee to replace him in the 74th District .
Carlina Rivera
Epstein succeeded Rivera in the District 2 City Council seat after she was term-limited . The two collaborated on the Beth Israel Hospital fight, the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, and broader tenant advocacy throughout their overlapping tenures .
Endorsements Received
Epstein's 2025 City Council campaign received endorsements from Attorney General Letitia James, who called him a champion for protecting tenants and vulnerable New Yorkers . He was also endorsed by the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; the Working Families Party; StreetsPAC; Democrats for Informed Decisions (DID); and former Council Members Margarita Lopez and Rosie Mendez . Multiple tenant association presidents and district leaders also endorsed his candidacy .
Organizational Affiliations
Epstein co-founded StabilizingNYC, a citywide coalition of community-based groups that combats predatory equity and tenant harassment through community organizing . He was also involved in Stand for Tenant Safety, a coalition that protects tenants when landlords use construction as a form of harassment . He served as Co-President of the Coalition for a District Alternative, known as CoDA, an independent political organization on the Lower East Side .
Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association
Epstein built a longstanding relationship with the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association, beginning when MetLife sold the complex and tenants faced eviction notices. He established legal clinics and hotlines to assist affected residents . After passage of the 2019 HSTPA, Epstein joined the tenants association and allied officials in supporting a legal action to preserve rent stabilization for more than 6,200 apartments in the complex, citing the law he co-authored .
Urban Justice Center and Takeroot Justice
Epstein served as Director of the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, now known as Takeroot Justice, for more than a decade before entering elected office . The organization's work on behalf of tenant organizations and community-based groups became a foundation for Epstein's legislative agenda in Albany.
Progressive Caucus
Epstein joined the City Council's Progressive Caucus upon taking office in December 2025 21. He also joined the Jewish Caucus and the Task Force to Combat Antisemitism 21.
Kristen Gonzalez
State Senator Gonzalez, whose district overlapped with Epstein's, was a frequent partner on healthcare, housing, and environmental issues . The two coordinated closely on the Beth Israel Hospital closure fight and statements regarding the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project.
Family
Epstein's wife, Anita, has been a constant presence in his public life, and the couple has raised their children in the East Village since the early 1990s . His son was born at Beth Israel Hospital, a fact Epstein cited during the campaign to prevent the hospital's closure . His mother, Barbara, attended his primary night victory celebration at Mary O's bar on Avenue A in June 2025 .