US Congressional Candidate Outlines Vision for Urban Livability and Climate Resilience

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a candidate for New York’s 13th Congressional District, has responded to a questionnaire focusing on livable streets and urban challenges, offering her perspective on federal action for city needs. Her opponent, incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, did not provide answers to the questions posed by Streetsblog NYC.

Chevalier’s platform emphasizes a need for federal leadership to address the escalating costs of living, the impacts of climate change, and the urgency of social justice issues in urban areas. She positions herself as a representative who will actively fight for constituents facing these challenges.

Addressing Federal Responsiveness

Chevalier highlighted a “crisis of leadership, particularly at a federal level,” citing decades of rising costs in housing and transportation that push families to the brink of eviction. She also pointed to increased climate change impacts and what she termed “increased fascism on the streets — in the form of ICE.” Her campaign aims to ensure families in New York City, particularly within the 13th District, have a representative committed to fighting for their needs.

Her policy proposals include ensuring housing for all, ending childhood poverty through investment rather than military spending, and abolishing ICE. Additionally, she advocates for taxing the wealthy, achieving Medicare for All, expanding the child tax credit, and providing universal free college. Chevalier also stressed the importance of increasing the minimum wage, pushing for a Green New Deal, combating fascism, providing a pathway to citizenship for all immigrants, and safeguarding democracy by reducing the influence of money in politics.

Improving Urban Transportation

Regarding transportation, Chevalier expressed strong support for developing public transit infrastructure within her district. She noted that over 56 percent of NY-13 residents rely on public transit daily but endure some of the slowest commute times in the country, averaging over 40 minutes. Chevalier believes that making public transit more accessible would not only reduce commute times but also decrease air pollution, lessen car dependency, and improve the overall quality of life for commuting families.

She advocates for federal funding to bolster public transportation infrastructure not only in her district but across the nation. Chevalier sees increased public transit, including fast and free buses and reliable trains, as a primary solution to the tens of thousands of injuries and hundreds of thousands of reported crashes occurring annually in New York City.

Climate Action and Environmental Justice

Chevalier identified the climate crisis as a significant issue disproportionately affecting her district. She cited a New York Times report detailing a substantial temperature difference between different city blocks and noted that Black Americans in the city were twice as likely as their white counterparts to die from heat exposure. The district’s proximity to the George Washington Bridge, one of the busiest motor vehicle bridges globally, contributes to environmental impacts like higher rates of asthma and hospitalizations in Black and low-income communities of color.

A staunch supporter of the Green New Deal, Chevalier views it as a crucial 10-year national plan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, create well-paying union jobs, and protect natural resources. She believes that creating environmentally responsible infrastructure, supported by dignified, well-paying union jobs, is essential for the planet’s future. This includes a “Green New Deal for public housing,” noting that approximately 80 percent of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments in Manhattan are located within NY-13. Decarbonizing NYCHA, she stated, could have an impact equivalent to removing 400,000 cars from the road.

Chevalier also aligns with calls for a moratorium on data center construction, citing their immense electricity and water consumption. She joins over 230 groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, in advocating for a national pause on new data centers due to their environmental toll.

Addressing Car Dependency

In response to the common sentiment that car owners prefer parking space over bike and bus lanes, Chevalier asserted the need to decrease reliance on car transit. She advocates for expanding capacity for bikes, buses, and trains to enhance safety, reduce travel times, alleviate traffic, combat climate change, and improve quality of life. Chevalier herself navigates her district by bike, on foot, and via bus and subway.

Key facts
Candidate: Darializa Avila Chevalier
District: New York’s 13th Congressional District
Key Issues: Public transit, climate resilience, housing affordability, reducing car dependency
Stance on Green New Deal: Staunch supporter
Source: Streetsblog NYC
URL: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/06/16/lucky-13-darializa-avila-chevalier-answers-questions-that-rep-adriano-espaillat-wont

Source: Streetsblog NYC, https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/06/16/lucky-13-darializa-avila-chevalier-answers-questions-that-rep-adriano-espaillat-wont

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