Christine Quinn Confirms She’s Not Running for NYC Mayor

Christine Quinn, the former City Council Speaker who now runs a non-profit for the homeless, announced Monday that she would not run for mayor after months of speculation among politicos that she might.

Quinn, who served as Council Speaker during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure, made an ill-fated run for City Hall in 2013, emerging as an early front-runner, but ultimately suffering a devastating loss to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

In her announcement Monday, Quinn said she would “continue fighting for homeless families” and then hauled off on the current field of candidates for not offering detailed solutions to the city’s homelessness crisis.

“Solving homelessness is our city’s moral imperative. But the truth is, you would not know it from watching the mayor’s race this year, as homelessness has barely registered,” she said in a written statement. “This is completely unacceptable and disrespectful to the thousands of New Yorkers in the shelter system.”

Quinn, who began her career in public life as a tenant organizer in the 1980s, serves as the head of Win, a nonprofit that provides shelter and services to homeless women and their kids. Quinn said she will remain in that role because of the increased housing insecurity created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I intend to use my platform as a leader in homeless advocacy and experience both inside and outside of government to hold the field of candidates running for mayor accountable and ensure that, unlike Bill de Blasio, the next mayor actually makes good on their promises to homeless families,” she said. “New Yorkers deserve to hear from each candidate how they will create more affordable housing, increase the value of rental vouchers, support students in shelter and provide services for families in shelter to access good-paying jobs.”

Quinn lost her primary bid in 2013 in large part because of her decision while Council Speaker to support Bloomberg’s extension of term limits, an extension that was subsequently rolled back.