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Experience and Qualifications
I am Dr. Gay Lee, DSW, LCSW-R, a licensed clinical social worker and community leader with over 30 years of experience advancing public health and human services systems. Licensed in 14 states, I provide mental health and substance use services, including forensic evaluations for courts, with a focus on addressing housing instability, poverty, and health disparities. I have led community-based organizations, designing and implementing programs that expand access to mental health care, housing supports, and essential services. I have also spent nearly three decades educating and supervising future social workers in ethical, evidence-based practice. I am the author of Closing the Gaps: Social Work Frameworks for Sustainable Houselessness Interventions, which outlines scalable policy solutions to housing instability. As a former city council member, I authored the Property Tax Repayment Plan and Workforce Development Plan. I will prioritize policies that strengthen access to care, stab
Community Involvement
Community involvement has been the foundation of my life’s work. For over 30 years, I have stood alongside individuals and families navigating housing instability, mental health challenges, and limited access to essential services, ensuring their voices shape the solutions that affect their lives. As a former city councilwoman, I worked with community stakeholders to develop the Property Tax Repayment Plan and Workforce Development Plan, practical policies designed to stabilize families and exp
Education
Capella University, Doctor of Social Work (DSW); Smith College School for Social Work, Master of Social Work; York College, City University of New York, Bachelor’s of Social Work
Party Endorsements
None at this time: Primary
Campaign Phone
646-326-1936
Campaign Instagram
www.instagram.com/drgaylee/
Campaign YouTube
1. Affordability and Property Tax Relief
I will address the rising cost of living by strengthening property tax relief and expanding workforce opportunities so Hudson Valley residents can afford to remain in their communities.
2. Community Wellness and Mental Health Access
I will expand access to mental health and substance use services and develop community-based support centers so individuals and families have a place to turn before challenges become crises.
3. Public Safety and Crime Prevention
I will support public safety through prevention, accountability, and coordinated services, investing in youth programs and reentry supports that address root causes while protecting our communities.
Climate change is already impacting the Hudson Valley, and we must act with urgency and accountability. In Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties, families are facing increased flooding, extreme heat, and aging infrastructure that no longer protects our communities.
I believe we have a responsibility to reduce emissions while safeguarding residents today. That means expanding clean energy, modernizing the grid, and helping homeowners and small businesses transition to energy-efficient systems that lower costs. It also requires targeted investments in stormwater systems, drainage, and green infrastructure to reduce flooding.
Climate action must be equitable and practical. We should create local jobs, strengthen infrastructure, and protect public health while ensuring no community is left behind.
This is about protecting our environment, our economy, and the future of the Hudson Valley.
Promoting social and racial justice requires more than statements. It requires policies that directly address inequities in housing, healthcare, education, and the justice system. I will support stronger tenant protections, fair housing enforcement, and pathways to homeownership to close long-standing racial gaps in housing stability, particularly in communities across Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties.
I will expand access to mental health and substance use services by investing in community-based care and establishing support centers so individuals can receive help before crises occur. I support workforce development initiatives that create real access to good-paying jobs and career pathways for underserved populations.
In the justice system, I will prioritize prevention, alternatives to incarceration, and meaningful reentry support to reduce recidivism while maintaining accountability.
Social and racial justice means measurable change. It means ensuring every community has ac
After Louisiana v. Callais, I believe New York must take stronger action to protect fair representation and ensure that no community’s voice is diminished. This decision makes it harder to address racial inequities through federal law, which means the responsibility now falls even more on states like ours to lead.
I support strengthening the New York Voting Rights Act, expanding language access, and making sure people understand their right to vote. We must protect early voting and absentee voting and ensure that redistricting is transparent, independent, and truly reflective of the communities it serves. I also believe we need better data to identify when communities of color are being underrepresented so we can respond with intention and accountability.
We cannot wait for protections to be weakened further. In New York, we should lead by ensuring every person has access to the ballot and every community has a meaningful voice in government. Protecting the right to vote is fundament
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