Jumaane Williams - Ballotpedia

Office of the New York City Public Advocate

Jumaane Williams has a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in urban policy and administration from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College. He is from Brooklyn and of Grenadian heritage.

Jumaane previously worked as the executive director of New York State Tenants & Neighbors and as the assistant director of the Greater Flatbush Beacon School. 

Jumaane is New York City's current public advocate. He was first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2021. He ran for New York governor in 2022 and lieutenant governor and State Senate in 2018 but did not win. From 2009 to 2019, Jumaane served as a member of the New York City Council. 

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Proposed legislation to mandate private employers provide paid personal leave to their workers.

As public advocate, proposed legislation requiring private employers to provide paid leave to their workers.

Supports strong labor organizations and workers' rights.

As a City Council member, passed legislation requiring the city to disclose data on public assistance denials or terminations to address unfair practices.

Supported requiring the city to disclose data on public assistance denials to address unfair practices.

As a City Council member, passed a bill to prevent employer retaliation against employees requesting accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, disability, medical conditions, domestic violence, sex offenses, stalking, or other reasons.

Supported a bill to prevent employer retaliation against employees requesting accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, disability, medical conditions, and other reasons.

As a City Council member, passed the Used Car Fee Transparency Act, which requires used car dealers to post the full selling price of a car, including previously hidden dealer fees, along with the cost of any extras that go with the car.

Supported rules that require used car dealers to post the full selling price of a car, including hidden fees and extra costs.

- As public advocate, proposed legislation requiring private employers to provide paid leave to their workers.
- Supports strong labor organizations and workers' rights.
- Opposes cutting child care subsidies.
- Supported requiring the city to disclose data on public assistance denials to address unfair practices.
- Supported a bill to prevent employer retaliation against employees requesting accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, disability, medical conditions, and other reasons.
- Supported rules that require used car dealers to post the full selling price of a car, including hidden fees and extra costs.

Economy

Supports investing in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Supports congestion pricing to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

As a City Council member, passed a bill requiring the Transportation Department to expedite studies of pedestrian-involved traffic accidents and share data with the Mayor and lawmakers.

Supported a bill requiring quicker studies of pedestrian-involved traffic accidents and the sharing of data with the Mayor and lawmakers.

As a City Council member, passed a bill increasing fines for unauthorized use of parking permits and placards.

Supported increasing fines for unauthorized use of parking permits and placards.

- Supports congestion pricing to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
- Supported a bill requiring quicker studies of pedestrian-involved traffic accidents and the sharing of data with the Mayor and lawmakers.
- Supported increasing fines for unauthorized use of parking permits and placards.

Transportation & Infrastructure

As a City Council member, passed legislation to increase school diversity by changing policies, admissions, and programs.

Supports increased diversity in public schools.

- Supports increased diversity in public schools.

Education

As a city council member, sponsored the Community Safety Act, which reformed the City's Police Department by addressing the abuse of Stop, Question & Frisk in communities of color and creating the NYPD's Office of Inspector General to investigate unlawful & unethical behavior.

As a City Council member, helped pass a law to reform the NYPD by limiting Stop-and-Frisk in communities of color and creating an office to investigate police misconduct.

As former Co-Chair of the Council’s Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, helped create New York’s Crisis Management System, which funds Cure Violence Groups that work to reduce shootings through a multi-pronged approach.

Helped start New York’s Crisis Management System, which supports groups that work to prevent gun violence through community programs and outreach.

Opposes collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Opposes city collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As a City Council member, passed the Fair Chance Act (also known as “Ban the Box”) law, which prohibits public and private employers, citywide, from denying New Yorkers jobs just because they have a criminal conviction or arrest record.

As a City Council member, passed a law prohibiting employers from denying jobs due to a criminal conviction or arrest record.

As a City Council member, passed legislation banning solitary confinement in city jails and requiring dyslexia screening in jails.

Supported legislation banning solitary confinement in city jails and requiring dyslexia screening in jails.

As a City Council member, passed a law requiring city employees and contractors to protect undocumented immigrants' identifying information, such as contact details, sexual orientation, immigration status, and religion, and mandates a privacy officer in each agency.

Supported a rule that protects private information about undocumented immigrants, like their contact details, immigration status, religion, or sexual orientation.

- As a City Council member, helped pass a law to reform the NYPD by limiting Stop-and-Frisk in communities of color and creating an office to investigate police misconduct.
- Helped start New York’s Crisis Management System, which supports groups that work to prevent gun violence through community programs and outreach.
- Opposes city collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- As a City Council member, passed a law prohibiting employers from denying jobs due to a criminal conviction or arrest record.
- Supported legislation banning solitary confinement in city jails and requiring dyslexia screening in jails.
- Supported a rule that protects private information about undocumented immigrants, like their contact details, immigration status, religion, or sexual orientation.

Public Safety

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As a City Council member, passed legislation requiring the city to inform birthing persons about respectful care and their legal rights, including workplace accommodations and paid leave.

Supported a law requiring the city to inform pregnant people about respectful care and their legal rights, including workplace accommodations and paid leave.

- Supported a law requiring the city to inform pregnant people about respectful care and their legal rights, including workplace accommodations and paid leave.

Public Health

As a City Council member, passed a law defining certain landlord behaviors, such as lying about occupancy and rent stabilization, as “tenant harassment.”

Supported a law defining landlord behaviors, such as lying about occupancy and rent stabilization, as “tenant harassment.”

As a City Council member, passed the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act, which prohibits landlords from discriminating against victims of domestic violence.

Supported a law that prohibits landlords from discriminating against victims of domestic violence.

As a City Council member, passed a bill requiring the Correction Department to collect non-identifying statistics on housing placements, denials, and transfers based on gender identity.

Passed a bill requiring the collection of statistics on housing placements, denials, and transfers based on gender identity.

As a City Council member, sponsored the Housing, Not Warehousing Act, which requires the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to report on vacant buildings and lots for potential development of affordable housing.

As a City Council member, sponsored a bill requiring city departments to report vacant buildings and areas with potential for development of affordable housing.

As a City Council member, passed a law to increase penalties for landlords who fail to fix poor conditions and require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to annually reinspect the top 100 buildings with certain violations.

Supported increased penalties for landlords who fail to fix poor conditions.

As a City Council member, passed a law reauthorizing tax exemptions for landlords who improve their multiple dwellings, incentivizing keeping buildings in a state of good repair.

Supports tax exemptions for landlords who improve their property to incentivize keeping buildings in good shape.

- Supported a law defining landlord behaviors, such as lying about occupancy and rent stabilization, as “tenant harassment.”
- Supported a law that prohibits landlords from discriminating against victims of domestic violence.
- Passed a bill requiring the collection of statistics on housing placements, denials, and transfers based on gender identity.
- As a City Council member, sponsored a bill requiring city departments to report vacant buildings and areas with potential for development of affordable housing.
- Supported increased penalties for landlords who fail to fix poor conditions.
- Supports tax exemptions for landlords who improve their property to incentivize keeping buildings in good shape.

Housing & Urban Development

Passed the Bike to Work Act, which discouraged driving to work.

Supported laws to make biking to work easier, like adding bike storage and elevators for bikes in buildings.

As a City Council member, passed laws to make New York City’s energy conservation codes stricter than the state code.

Supported laws to make New York City’s energy conservation codes stricter than the state code.

- Supported laws to make biking to work easier, like adding bike storage and elevators for bikes in buildings.
- Supported laws to make New York City’s energy conservation codes stricter than the state code.

Energy & the Environment

As of July 16, 2025, Jumaane Williams’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Services

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Jumaane Williams

- As public advocate, proposed legislation requiring private employers to provide paid leave to their workers.
- Supports strong labor organizations and workers' rights.
- Opposes cutting child care subsidies.
- Supported requiring the city to disclose data on public assistance denials to address unfair practices.

- Supports congestion pricing to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

- As a City Council member, helped pass a law to reform the NYPD by limiting Stop-and-Frisk in communities of color and creating an office to investigate police misconduct.
- Helped start New York’s Crisis Management System, which supports groups that work to prevent gun violence through community programs and outreach.
- Opposes city collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- As a City Council member, passed a law prohibiting employers from denying jobs due to a criminal conviction or arrest record.
- Supported legislation banning solitary confinement in city jails and requiring dyslexia screening in jails.

- Supported a law defining landlord behaviors, such as lying about occupancy and rent stabilization, as “tenant harassment.”

Jumaane Williams - Wikipedia

Jumaane has a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in urban policy and administration from Brooklyn College. 

Jumaane Williams is New York City's current public advocate. He was first elected in 2019, and re-elected in 2021. He ran for New York governor in 2022 and lieutenant in 2018 but did not win. From 2009 to 2017, Jumaane served as an city council member for New York City. 

- Proposed legislation to mandate private employers provide paid personal leave to their workers.
- Supports strong labor organizations and workers' rights.
- Opposes cutting child care subsidies.

Supports investing in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) through congestion pricing in New York City.

- Supports investing in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) through congestion pricing in New York City.

As a city council member, sponsored the Community Safety Act, which reformed the City's Police Department by addressing the use of Stop, Question & Frisk in communities of color and creating the NYPD's Office of Inspector General to investigate unlawful & unethical behavior.

- As a city council member, sponsored the Community Safety Act, which reformed the City's Police Department by addressing the use of Stop, Question & Frisk in communities of color and creating the NYPD's Office of Inspector General to investigate unlawful & unethical behavior.
- As former Co-Chair of the Council’s Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, helped create New York’s Crisis Management System, which funds Cure Violence Groups that work to reduce shootings through a multi-pronged approach.
- Opposes collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Opposes eliminating parking mandates for new housing units.

- Opposes eliminating parking mandates for new housing units.

- The Public Advocate oversees city agencies, investigates citizen complaints about city services, and proposes solutions to improve these services. 
- The Public Advocate serves as a non-voting member of the New York City Council with the authority to introduce and co-sponsor legislation. 
- The Public Advocate is elected to a four-year term, may serve up to two consecutive terms, and is voted on citywide.
- The Public Advocate's salary is $184,800 per year.
- The Public Advocate is first in line to succeed the mayor in case of a vacancy or incapacity.