Harvey Epstein
Harvey David Epstein is an American politician from the state of New York. He is a member of the New York City Council from the 2nd district, which consists of parts of the Lower East Side and East Village neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City. He was previously a member of the New York State Assembly from the 74th district between 2018 and 2025.
Early life and career
Epstein earned a bachelor's degree from Ithaca College in social studies. He ran a homeless shelter in Hempstead, New York, and worked in the South Bronx for a foster care agency. He earned a Juris Doctor from CUNY Law School and worked for Queens Legal Services and The Legal Aid Society. Epstein served as community development director for the Urban Justice Center.Political career
Epstein won a special election to the New York State Assembly to succeed Brian P. Kavanagh, who was elected to the New York State Senate, in 2018.Epstein is a member of the Vote Blue Coalition, a progressive group and federal Political Action Committee created to support Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through voter outreach and mobilization efforts.
Epstein sponsored legislation to reform the New York State Real Property Law and Tax Law in regards to mezzanine financing. The legislation calls for the recording of mezzanine debt and preferred equity investments and subject it to the mortgage recording tax. These amendments will force borrowers and lenders to reconsider the economic costs of mezzanine financing. It was introduced on January 22, 2021.
In February 2024, Epstein, along with four other Jewish elected officials from New York, signed an open letter on the Gaza war. The letter condemned Hamas and other groups in the Middle East for attacking Israel and seeking to foment antisemitism and anti-Zionism around the world, while also criticizing the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu for civilian deaths in Gaza, its settlement policy in the West Bank, and leniency towards violence by Israeli settlers. The letter's signatories called for the Israeli government to prioritize negotiations to release hostages held in Gaza and voiced support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Epstein won the Democratic primary for New York City's 2nd City Council district in the 2025 municipal election. Epstein ran unopposed for re-election in the 2024 New York State Assembly election, but said he intends to resign his Assembly seat if elected to the City Council in 2025. He defeated Allie Ryan, Sarah Batchu, Andrea Gordillo, and Anthony Weiner. Epstein won the general election on November 4, 2025 against Republican opponent Jason Murillo. A special election for his replacement in the Assembly is scheduled to be held on February 3, 2026.