Election Scores: 7th Ward

Walkable Albany's Candidate Scores are now available! Below is a list of the candidates from the 7th Ward who responded to our questionnaire, Violetta De Rosa and Sergio Adams. The questionnaires contained a variety of issues, in several categories:

1. Beg Buttons
2. Washington Park
3. Pedestrian Safety
4. Car Dependency
5. Development

Below we will share the candidates' scores in each category and overall, along with answers to longer-form questions. This page shows the candidates for the 7th Ward Common Council seat; other offices are listed on separate pages. Here are the overall scores for the 7th Ward.

Sergio Adams—88.44 (A rating)

Violetta De Rosa—86.39 (A rating)

Below are the detailed responses.

Sergio Adams—Overall Score 88.44

1. Beg Buttons score: 100
2. Washington Park score: 97.14
3. Pedestrian Safety score: 93.33
4. Car Dependency score: 77.78
5. Development score: 100

How will you improve snow clearance from sidewalks?

I will advocate for the City of Albany to clear all sidewalks in the city rather than requiring property owners to do so. Requiring property owners to clear sidewalks leaves too many sidewalks inaccessible during and after snowstorms and is a significant burden on elderly people. Understanding that it may not be feasible for the city to immediately take over all sidewalk snow removal, I support prioritizing sidewalks in densely populated areas, areas with high pedestrian traffic, and communities with larger elderly populations.

Do you support the Lark Street Redesign study? Why do you think projects like this are valuable to the city?

Yes I support the Lark Street Redesign plan because I believe we need to prioritize pedestrian safety and walkability over cars. The plan will also encourage more people to frequent Lark Street and help the businesses there. We should be studying plans like this on streets throughout the city. In the 7th Ward, I would like to see redesign studies for Delaware Avenue and Second Avenue.

Do you support the Albany Skyway park? Why do you think projects like this are valuable to the city?

Yes. The Skyway park will increase pedestrian access to the waterfront, one of our city’s most valuable resources. This will be great for the many children and families who live in the surrounding neighborhoods, especially considering many of our urban communities do not have enough access to green spaces. While I understand concerns people have about the cost of the project, the city was able to secure significant funding from the state, making it cost very little for the city taxpayers.

As a general matter, do you share the belief that one of the keys to Albany’s financial success is additional development?

Yes. From a financial perspective, we need development so we can increase the tax base in the city. Over the years, the city has been financially impacted by much of the population moving out of the city and into the suburbs. The City of Albany is also impacted by a majority of its property being tax exempt. Developing housing and commercial spaces in urban areas also creates more walkable communities. As a Council Member I will support housing development while also pushing for significantly expanding our stock of affordable housing. I believe new housing developments should be mixed income and be located throughout the city rather than excluded from certain neighborhoods.

Would you support more aggressive code enforcement to ensure absentee property owners cannot prevent development and contribute to blight?

Yes I support Mayor Sheehan’s recent proposal to allow code enforcement to make emergency repairs to properties that are neglected by the property owners. For too long we have allowed our neighborhoods to decay because some property owners are avoiding their responsibility to care for their properties. This contributes to blight and results in many families being forced to live in substandard housing.

Choose your top five priorities from a list:

1. First priority: Reduce gun crimes
2. Second priority: Improve Pedestrian Safety
3. Third priority: Attract more dense development

Violetta De Rosa—Overall Score 86.39

1. Beg Buttons score: 100
2. Washington Park score: 100
3. Pedestrian Safety score: 100
4. Car Dependency score: 66.67
5. Development score: 84

How will you improve snow clearance from sidewalks?

While Albany does require property owners to clear sidewalks, we need more enforcements. I would work with DGS, Common Council and with the community to develop ordinances that target high-mobility pedestrian corridors for strict on-the-ground enforcement. These corridors – will include neighborhoods with high concentrations pedestrians and areas identified with community input. The day after a significant snowfall, inspectors review the corridors and issue fines to noncompliant property owners. The City itself maintains responsibility for clearing publicly-owned sidewalks, bike paths, and crosswalks. However, I would like to see the City of Albany take a more proactive role and implement the use of mini bulldozers to clear the sidewalks and push the snow into the street, then uses powerful snow-blowers to move the snow into dump trucks and hauls it to dumping sites.

Do you support the Lark Street Redesign study? Why do you think projects like this are valuable to the city?

I support the Lark Street Redesign/Improvement. Transforming our public spaces and creating more pedestrian friendly design street are not just about aesthetic or safety improvements. These types of projects attract more people and more activity, thus strengthening both communities, the businesses that serve them and helps to bring positive economic growth and development.

Do you support the Albany Skyway park? Why do you think projects like this are valuable to the city?

While, I like the idea of the Skyway park, as projects like this have the do have to power to transform our use of public space. I would like to see an greater plan that would eliminate the 787 and bring our community back to the river.

As a general matter, do you share the belief that one of the keys to Albany’s financial success is additional development?

I would like to see more development in Albany. We do not want Albany to be seen as anti-investment or anti-development, however I would like all new developments to include 30% affordable housing units, we want to make sure that our neighbors are not priced out of living in the community we all love.

Would you support more aggressive code enforcement to ensure absentee property owners cannot prevent development and contribute to blight?

As a councilmember, I will be work to provide the Division of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance the resources and legal tool to combat absentee slumlords, vacant housing, illegal evictions, and substandard buildings, which negatively affect my constituents. I will work to protect my tenants and hold absentee landlord accountable through enforcement of penalties and fines.

Choose your top five priorities from a list:

1. First priority: Increase police accountability
2. Second priority: Improve pedestrian safety
3. Third priority: Support and attract businesses
4. Fourth Priority: Improve bike safety
5. Fifth Priority: Improve snow plowing of sidewalks and crosswalks