As New York City’s June primary approaches, the race for City Council District 38 — Red Hook, Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights and portions of Windsor Terrace, Dyker Heights and Borough Park — is shaping up to be a closely watched contest.
Incumbent Alexa Avilés, a progressive Democrat and chair of the Council’s Committee on Immigration, is seeking re-election after a first term focused on housing, education and immigrant rights. She faces a primary challenge from Democrat Ling Ye, a longtime public servant and community organizer, and a general election opponent in Republican Luis Quero, a banking executive and community advocate running on a platform of public safety and economic reform.
Meet the Candidates
Alexa Avilés
Incumbent Council Member
Council Member Alexa Avilés is running for a second full term representing District 38, where she has championed affordable housing, tenant protections, immigrant rights, climate resilience and public education. A proud Boricua, mom and Brooklynite, Avilés has sponsored over 800 legislative items during her term, including landmark NYCHA and housing legislation.
“Since taking office, my team has delivered for District 38 residents,” Avilés said in a statement to the Brooklyn Paper. “We’ve helped more than 4,000 neighbors get the services they need, from housing to food stamps to street cleaning. I’ve led the charge on more than 46 bills to support working families, passing a dozen that protect tenants after devastating fires, keep our air clean and help New Yorkers into stable and permanent housing.”
Avilés is a member of the Council’s Progressive Caucus and a vocal critic of Mayor Eric Adams. “We’re watching our mayor throw millions of New Yorkers under the bus to save himself from his own potentially criminal actions,” Avilés said in a December statement referring to Mayor Adams agreeing to work with President Donald Trump on immigration policy.
“As the Chair of the Immigration Committee, I’m leading the charge to protect immigrant New Yorkers from Trump and ICE,” Avilés told the Brooklyn Paper.
During her campaign, Avilés touts securing millions in funds for local parks, schools and housing initiatives and has been endorsed by a wide coalition, including the Working Families Party and Democratic Socialists of America, U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez and major labor unions such as 32BJ, 1199SEIU and the United Federation of Teachers.
She leads in campaign fundraising, having raised $266,702 — $192,534 through public matching funds — and has about $204,000 on hand ahead of the June primary, according to the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
Ling Ye
Ling Ye, a working mother and immigrant who moved to the district in her early teens, is challenging Avilés for the Democratic nomination. Ye has spent nearly a decade in public service, working for Council Member Carlos Menchaca, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez and U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman.
“As the child of a single immigrant mother, I was my mom’s translator, her navigator and her bridge to a new life,” Ye shared in a statement to the Brooklyn Paper recounting her childhood.
“We once lived in a basement apartment, not knowing that it was illegal—until a DOB inspector showed up one day and told us to move,” Ye said. “We scrambled to find a new place to live all on our own […] That experience shaped my path. I’ve spent the last decade in public service because no child should have to go through what I did.”
Ye’s platform centers on improving public safety through stronger police-community relations, expanding mental health response teams, restoring NYPD academy classes and investing in youth programs. She also emphasizes affordable housing development, education reform, small business support, climate resilience and fairer property tax structures. Ye also says she is running to bring representation to everyone in the diverse district.
When asked how she is different from the incumbent Avilés, Ye told the Brooklyn Paper, “While the incumbent focuses on protest and performance, I believe in service and results.” Ye went on to say, “I’ve spent my career inside city government, solving problems—whether it’s helping a family avoid eviction, improving street safety or making city services work for working people.”
As the primary nears, Ye is close behind the incumbent in campaign fundraising. According to the New York City Campaign Finance Board, Ye has raised nearly $220,000, with $184,300 stemming from public fundraising. Her campaign coffers hold onto an estimated $143,294 during the final month stretch.
Outside of direct fundraising, Ye holds onto the endorsement of Solidarity PAC, a political action committee formed in 2024 that “focuses on candidates and efforts who support the best interests of New York’s Jewish community.”
New York’s primary election will be held June 24, with early voting scheduled from June 14 to June 22. To find your pollsite, visit vote.nyc.
This roundup is part of an ongoing series. Check back for more information on candidates in competitive races across Brooklyn, and check out our candidate roundups for Brooklyn Borough President, Council District 35, Council District 39, Council District 47, and Civil Court Judge.
