Stephen Levin grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, the younger of two sons of Michael and Adah Levin. From an early age, Stephen showed a strong work ethic and an enduring commitment to community service. After graduating from Brown University with a degree in Classics and Comparative Literature, Stephen came to Brooklyn to work as a Community Organizer in Bushwick. He ran a Lead Safe House program, relocating families of lead-poisoned children out of hazardous apartments while working with homeowners to effectively and efficiently remediate lead contamination. This experience taught Stephen about the serious and complex challenges facing our most vulnerable neighbors. He worked with families to establish a way forward, from getting adequate health care and quality education for their children to ensuring a safe and decent apartment for them to live.

At the same time, Stephen ran an Anti-Predatory lending program in Bushwick. He organized homeowners throughout the community through grass-roots outreach and community workshops about the dangers of subprime mortgages. Working with the City, local elected officials, and advocacy groups, Stephen was able to galvanize the community against the unscrupulous lending practices that were decimating the neighborhood with foreclosures.

Since 2006, Stephen has served as Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Vito Lopez, Chairman of the Assembly Housing Committee (D-Williamsburg). As Chief of Staff and a dedicated advocate for affordable housing, Stephen works tirelessly to create more affordable housing in Brooklyn, ensuring the funding of over 1,000 units of affordable housing to date. Stephen crafted legislation to eliminate tax loopholes for luxury development in North Brooklyn. He helped get over $1 million in State funding to remediate brownfields in North Brooklyn and he fought to pass legislation to protect the rights of homeowners against predatory lenders in New York State.

However, Stephen insists that the most rewarding part of his job is working with the community-from helping parents get the best health care and educational opportunities for their kids to making sure that the City is listening to small homeowners trying to protect their hard-earned investment.

Above all, Stephen enjoys working for a better New York.

He lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with his two rescued cats, Tiger and Ben.