THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
COVER STORY
RICHARDS AIMS TO REBUILD A STRONGER QUEENS DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR BP TALKS ECONOMY, PUBLIC SAFETY BY BENJAMIN FANG As the Democratic nominee for Queens borough president, Donovan Richards emerged victorious from a field of five candidates after a hard-fought primary. Although he said he’s excited about moving ahead to the general election in November, the southeast Queens councilman is already looking forward to tackling the challenges facing Queens, from the coronavirus pandemic to the economic downturn. “There’s a lot of work to be done,” he said. “Our borough is facing immense challenges pertaining to COVID and the underlying disparities that have existed for a long time, that have shown their ugly heads.” His first priority is to “stop the bleeding.” Richards pointed out that the city is not out of the woods yet on COVID-19. He wants to ensure hospitals have the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and resources in case of another surge in infections. The resulting economic crisis has resulted in rising food insecurity. Richards said with unemployment rising and small businesses struggling, he wants the city to focus on pockets of the borough where people are choosing between a meal and paying rent. The Democratic nominee also anticipates a surge in homelessness, highlighting the need for affordable housing even more. “Anything we can do to strengthen the food network is an immediate priority,” he said. In terms of the economy, Richards predicted that it won’t pick up for another three to four years until the city returns to some sense of normalcy. He’s already seeing more “For Rent” signs in major commercial corridors. What doesn’t help the borough’s recovery, he said, is only getting 9 percent of the city’s loans and
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grants, which he said is unacceptable. At Borough Hall, his job will be steering the proper city agencies to the table and making the case for greater resources for Queens. “We have to fight for it,” he said. “We’re fighting for the soul of our borough.” But while he’s still in the City Council, Richards has introduced legislation mandating the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to report on where their loans and grants are going. “That transparency will aid us in the argument of saying the city needs to do better,” he added. Richards wants to see an expansion of programs like Chamber on the Go, which provides a neighborhood connection from SBS directly to small businesses. He also believes the city should be putting more money into grants instead of loans. “SBS needs to feel like a permanent footprint in this borough,” he said, “working with businesses, even around regulations with COVID.” With developments happening all across the borough, from Astoria and Long Island City to Willets Points and the Rockaways, as well as the redevelopment of both airports, Richards said there are many opportunities to leverage publicprivate partnerships to assist small businesses. “We have so much to offer, the most exciting development projects are here,” he said. “Don’t shortchange us.” A successful recovery will also depend on stimulus dollars from the federal government. The councilman said the city needs its congressional representatives, especially in the Senate, to deliver. He hopes the next stimulus package will include dollars for state and local governments to reduce the budget gap. On a more personal level, Richards urged Queens residents to
Former borough president Claire Shulman was an early supporter of Councilman Donovan Richards, endorsing him for her former post last October in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. shop at their local businesses. Despite the rise of online shopping and a shift in consumer behavior, he said locals should get back into the habit of frequenting neighborhood institutions. While risks with the virus still exist, he believes it’s possible to balance business interests with safety. After all, he said, small businesses are the “lifeblood of our neighborhoods.” “We want to be healthy and have a healthy economy,” Richards said. “We shouldn’t have to choose.” Particularly instructive when it comes to recovery is his experience helping the Rockaways recover after Superstorm Sandy.
Richards recalled getting all of the borough’s business development organizations together and urging them to work in unity. Similarly, he wants business improvement districts, chambers of commerce and other groups to come up with a comprehensive plan with recommendations, goals and objectives. They will then work with the city to execute the plan. As the former chair of the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning, Richards was also at the table for rezonings of many areas, including his own district in Far Rockaway. He said he leveraged publicprivate partnerships with develop-
