NYC Public Advocate 2017 • NYC Elections distilled • Civic Juice

Public Advocate

Job Description

The Public Advocate is NYC’s ombudsperson – the link between city residents and their government – who must make sure that every segment of city government operates and delivers services fairly and appropriately.

NYC’s Public Advocate is sometimes called a “watchdog,” because he or she is required to find, investigate, and call out problems within city government, while helping New Yorkers deal with individual and system-wide issues.

Powers and Responsibilities

click for more details!

Monitors city agencies for lawfulness, effectiveness, and fairness

Can investigate whether city officers or agencies are complying with the NYC Charter, the foundational law of city government (except for criminal cases or conflicts of interest).
Can assess city government’s systems to make sure operations and services are handled fairly and in the best interests of New Yorkers.

Handles residents' complaints about city government action - or inaction

Takes and responds to individual complaints from New Yorkers about problems with city government services, programs, operations, agencies, and officers.
Investigates the individual complaints, and tries to resolve them with others in city government.
Investigates system-wide problems impacting people throughout the city.
Proposes policy and systemic changes to fix these problems.
Establishes procedures for handling complaints, and informs New Yorkers of these procedures to: receive and process complaints, respond to complainants, conduct investigations, and report findings.
Presents the office’s investigations – its findings and activities – to the city council, mayor, and relevant agencies.

Works with the NYC Council to introduce legislation

Is a member of the NYC Council, ex officio – by virtue of being the Public Advocate.
Can participate in all city council discussions, but does not have a vote.
Can introduce legislation for the city council to consider and vote upon.

Oversees city government's sharing of public information

Helps New Yorkers access public information and data about city services and government operations, either individually or through changes to information-sharing systems.
Monitors how city agencies handle service complaints and publicize information about their work, and makes suggestions to improve those processes.
Chairs or appoints a chairperson to NYC’s Commission of Public Information and Communication, an agency that must help New Yorkers access city information and public data.
Holds public hearings to shine a light on city government operations, services, and issues, and makes sure that a complete transcript of each hearings is available to the public for free within 60 days.

Is next in line to succeed the NYC Mayor

Takes over the role of NYC Mayor if the sitting mayor is suspended from office, temporarily absent or sick, or absent from the city.
Is succeeded by the NYC Council Speaker as Public Advocate, if filling in as Mayor.