Harvey Epstein: Career Timeline
Early Career and Legal Work
1989: Graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science .
Early 1990s: Ran a homeless shelter in Hempstead, New York, and worked in the South Bronx for a foster care agency before attending law school .
1994: Earned a Juris Doctor from CUNY School of Law .
Mid-1990s: Began legal career at Queens Legal Services, followed by a position as a staff attorney at the Harlem Community Law Offices of the Legal Aid Society, representing tenants in affirmative litigation and helping establish low-income cooperative apartments 5.
Nonprofit and Community Board Service
Late 1990s to mid-2000s: Served as Associate Director and Managing Attorney at Housing Conservation Coordinators, a Hell's Kitchen nonprofit focused on preserving affordable housing 5.
Circa 1990 to 2004: Served on Manhattan Community Board 3 for 14 years, including chairing the Land Use Committee and serving as board chair from 2002 to 2004 .
2007: Joined the Urban Justice Center as Director of the Community Development Project, supporting community organizations through litigation, research, and technical assistance on housing and social justice issues 5.
Rent Guidelines Board Tenure
2013: Appointed as a tenant representative on the New York City Rent Guidelines Board on April 1, 2013, by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, replacing Adriene Holder . Mayor Bill de Blasio subsequently renewed his term after taking office in 2014 .
2015: Played a central role in securing the first rent freeze for one-year leases on rent-stabilized apartments in the board's then-46-year history, approved on June 29, 2015, by a 7-2 vote .
2016: Helped secure a second consecutive rent freeze for one-year leases, extending rent relief for tenants across the city .
2017: Concluded five-year tenure on the Rent Guidelines Board .
New York State Assembly
February 2018: Won the Democratic nomination for the 74th Assembly District special election after incumbent Brian P. Kavanagh was elected to the State Senate .
April 24, 2018: Won the special election, defeating Republican Bryan Cooper, Green Party candidate Adrienne Craig-Williams, and Reform Party candidate Juan Pagan .
September 2018: Won the Democratic primary for a full term, defeating Akshay Vaishampayan and Juan Pagan .
November 2018: Elected to his first full term in the Assembly .
June 2019: Co-authored and helped pass the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, the most comprehensive tenant protection legislation in New York State in decades .
2019 to 2025: Served on Assembly committees including Corrections, Environmental Conservation, Higher Education, Housing, People with Disabilities, and Codes; chaired the Committee on State-Local Relations and the Subcommittee on Retention of Homeownership and Stabilization of Affordable Housing .
2020 to 2024: Won reelection to the Assembly in 2020, 2022, and 2024, running unopposed in most cycles .
2024: Sponsored legislation to legalize basement apartments and supported passage of good cause eviction protections as part of the state budget .
Transition to City Council
May 2024: Announced candidacy for New York City Council District 2 .
November 2, 2024: Gained national attention when comedian John Mulaney parodied his name in a Saturday Night Live sketch, which Epstein publicly embraced with humor .
June 24, 2025: Won the Democratic primary for City Council District 2, leading with approximately 40 percent of first-choice votes in a five-candidate field that included Anthony Weiner, Sarah Batchu, Andrea Gordillo, and Allie Ryan .
November 4, 2025: Won the general election with approximately 78 percent of the total vote, defeating Republican Jason Murillo, independent Allie Ryan, and Clean Safe Streets candidate Gail Schargel .
December 4, 2025: Assumed office as the Council Member for District 2, succeeding term-limited Carlina Rivera; Keith Powers was subsequently selected to fill his Assembly seat .
Early 2026: Founded and began chairing the New York City Council's Animal Welfare Caucus .