Chi Ossé likes to say that before the pandemic and his foray into politics, he worked at night. It was 2020, he was 23 years old and he wanted to have fun. He lived with his mother in Brooklyn and organized parties in New York for a living. But the Covid-19 pandemic it ended the music, cost Ossé his job and locked him up at home.

And then, while the entire country spent its days glued to screens, Derek Chauvin, a white police officer from Minneapolis, George Floyd choked hima black man in front of a cell phone camera. The footage went viral, sparking a national scandal. “Obviously, as a person of color in this country, it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen something like this, but I think because it was isolated, it was hard to come back. I decided to go out into the street. I felt like I had nothing to lose,” recalls Ossé — who has a faded haircut, pierced ears and a shaved face — four years later on a sunny October morning in Brooklyn.

It was May 29. Thousands of people, like Ossé, took to the streets. The the demonstrations were massivethe police response is disproportionate. “I decided to show what happens on the field. What was being portrayed on CNN and even Fox News was a different story than what I was seeing. It was a nonviolent protest against police brutality, and the police responded with brutality. I’ve seen people arrested left and right, cars set on fire, I’ve been hit with pepper spray.”

Ossé recorded the protests and shared his videos on Instagram. Although his social media presence was modest at the time, people started following him more and more as they searched for information. After two weeks of angst, feeling disappointed by the response of elected officials, Ossé decided to take action running for office in his district as a Democrat. In 2021, against the odds, he won the election. He was 24 years old and had become the youngest alderman in New York City history.

In New York, each alderman represents a neighborhood of the city. Ossé was elected by Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, his home neighborhood. No one expected him to win: he was too young, unknown to voters and lacked the necessary political support. He could hardly believe it himself.

A song from those days evolved into a nationwide slogan: “Defund the police.” Ossé recalls, “New York City has a budget of over $110 billion, of which $11 billion goes to our police force (the official budget is $5.8 billion, but it’s $11 billion when other expenses such as pensions are included). We pushed for these funds to be reallocated to education, healthcare, parks, infrastructure and mental health. When I saw that the council member in my district didn’t do what I asked him to do, I decided to run for office myself.”

“A terrible housing crisis”

Ossé is located on Atlantic Avenue, the street that marks the border between Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, two iconic neighborhoods in Brooklyn’s African-American community. Here, the train roars on steel tracks high above the road, with cars navigating the busy street below. Sidewalks are narrow, lined with abandoned warehouses, industrial buildings and vacant lots. Ossé plans to revitalize the area. On one of these empty plots, currently used as a parking lot, he will build houses. “New York is going through it terrible housing crisis“, he explains. The city’s housing vacancy rate is 1.4 percent, the lowest since 1968, the lowest number since 1968, according to official data.

Upholding the right to decent and affordable housing has become the new focus for Chi Ossé, now 26, as he navigates institutional politics. New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world and finding a home is an almost impossible mission. Ossé’s big proposal, which he hopes will become his first major political achievement, is a bill to reform the broker’s fee — a commission city renters must pay a real estate agent when they move into a new residence. This fee, usually between 10% and 15% of the annual rent, is often required even when the apartment is secured without the help of an intermediary. In a city where the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,900, the broker’s fee is a significant financial burden.

After months of negotiations, the City Council passed the bill on Wednesday by a vote of 42-8. The law states that the person who hires the real estate agent—usually the property owner—must bear the commission. It must now be signed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Although Adams and Ossé belong to the same party, they are political opponents. Ossé publicly criticized the leadership of Adams, a former police officer indicted in September on corruption charges. If Adams rejects the bill, it will go back to the Council, which can override the veto with a two-thirds majority. If the mayor takes no action, the bill will automatically become law after 30 days. Given the formidable influence of the real estate lobby in the United States, this reform is the most viable step for now; eliminating the broker’s commission remains entirely political.

Brooklyn and social media

Ossé has one of those legendary family histories that Brooklynites love. His grandfather, Teddy Vann, was a respected music producer who grew up in the neighborhood, won a Grammy and worked with Luther Vandross, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan. His father, Reginald Ossé, who died in 2017, was an iconic face of the hip-hop scene. Known as Combar Jack, he was celebrated as both a communicator and an advocate for artists. His mother, Akim Vann, owns a bakery in Prospect Heights. A family with a deep heritage. “We’re fourth-generation Brooklynites,” he says proudly.

The tour continues through Bed-Stuy, a neighborhood known for its classic high-rise brownstones where locals sit to watch the world go by. Traditionally African-American, Bed-Stuy has been immortalized as a setting Spike Lee’s Do the right thing (1989), where Radio Raheem called Struggle with power by Public Enemy. Today, however, it is experiencing rapid gentrification, making life increasingly difficult for longtime residents. There was an influx of white residents escaping the soaring prices of Manhattan and the trendier areas of Brooklyn.

Ossé speaks directly to his working-class neighbors through an innovative socialization strategy that departs from typical political textbooks. His Instagram is more like the account of an influencer than a city councilor, featuring short, energetic videos that highlight news and issues relevant to his constituents.

One example stands out: Every year, there is a public hearing to decide how much rent will increase in New York, which residents can attend. Traditionally, only 10 to 20 people attend, and “half of those people are landlords who say we should raise the rent,” says Ossé.

“Last year, the city council proposed raising rent by 8 percent to 16 percent for one- or two-year leases, which would have been devastating to many New Yorkers. I got over 1,000 people to come to the hearing through a video that went viral on social media letting them know they should use their voice. At the end of that vote, the rent increase for one to two year leases was between 1% and 2% instead of between 8% and 16%.”

Ossé says half of a public representative’s job is to pass laws and measures that improve the lives of neighbors. The other half is to inform. “This is where I think the government is missing. You can get 100 bills approved, but if people don’t know how to get to those resources or even know about those bills, what good is that work. Social media has been able to grow my vision and work and give people the help they need. Many people don’t even know what a city councilor is. This social media presence allowed them to contact our office, know who we are, learn about the different programs we offer. It’s a tool to get the word out.” Citizens have already called their elected representatives across the city, asking them to vote in favor of the law that redistributes the broker’s commission.

During his three years in government, Ossé learned that politics can be cruel and that institutions do not always seek the common good. “I voted against two budgets that increased police funding. And because of this I received less money for my district. I was the chairman of the city’s Cultural Affairs Commission, and they took that position from me as well. It was a rude awakening. The political implications and ramifications happen when you stand up for what you believe.”

Despite these challenges, Ossé successfully got legislation done drugs that reverse overdose available in bars and nightclubs—the legacy of his years immersed in nightlife culture. He also addressed the persistent problem of rats in the city, which is a serious public health problem in the city.

As a politician shaped by the Black Lives Matter protests and rooted in the progressive street movement, navigating institutional politics has sometimes meant confronting contradictions. There is an old saying that when the left gains power, it compromises its principles and becomes soft.

“I was elected at 23 years old, and now I am 26 years old. I’ve matured a bit in how I navigate the system of government, but I believe politics is a game of chess and my goal as a leftist is to improve issues from public safety to housing. I want to secure victories for my constituents and working class people. I think we’ve become more strategic about how to secure those wins and actually help people. My strategy has changed, but I don’t think I’ve softened in any way.”

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