As a lifelong Queens resident, born and raised in East Elmhurst and Corona, Larinda has seen how skyrocketing rent and housing costs have driven displacement and the homelessness crisis. On the East Elmhurst Corona Civic Association, Larinda has fought to bring deeply affordable housing to our neighborhoods – including affordable senior and supportive housing on Northern Blvd.

Issues | Larinda Hooks

A proud mother of five and grandmother, Larinda personally understands the challenges working families face. She will bring this lived experience to Albany every day, fighting for the fundamental needs of her district—including safe streets, affordable healthcare, and equitable education funding.

About | Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks

Larinda has dedicated her life to helping and mentoring our youth. She has served as a youth football and basketball coach for nearly two decades, and also led our youth as part of the Girl Scouts, Soap Box Derby, Summer Youth Employment Program, and the Civic Association Youth Council. Larinda is committed to providing programs for our youth to keep them off the streets and on the right path.

That’s why Larinda served as PTA President at Veritas High School and PS 127Q. She’ll fight to ensure that our schools are fully funded, to expand the community schools model, and make sure all our children have the resources they need to succeed - from early childhood education to free or low-cost after-school opportunities.

Larinda C. Hooks is a lifelong Queens resident who was born and raised in East Elmhurst and Corona. She is a mother of five and a grandmother. Larinda has served as a youth football and basketball coach for nearly two decades and as PTA president at Veritas High School and PS 127Q.

Larinda C. Hooks - Assembly District 35 - New York State Assembly

Larinda C. Hooks is a lifelong Queens resident who was born and raised in East Elmhurst and Corona. She is a mother of five and a grandmother

At the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, part of the Acacia Network under the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), Larinda worked to enhance the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Her efforts included expanding access to essential support services, improving community integration opportunities, and ensuring resources were directed to programs that uplifted vulnerable populations.

In addition to her grassroots advocacy, Larinda has taken on multiple leadership roles. She served as Vice Chairperson of the Board Members at Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc., where she helped shape the organization’s mission and strategies. Larinda’s success in this role led to her next career as Vice President of Older Adult Services and Economic Development, a role in which she approached her work holistically, ensuring community members had access to a wide range of resources.

For more than a decade, Larinda has worked at Elmcor to improve and expand services for older adults. Larinda spearheaded the efforts to create three new senior centers in our neighborhoods - expanding one from a satellite to become a full-time center, opening a senior center in Lefrak at the DEP building and, another center at the Elmcor gym on 108th Street in Corona. Larinda has also run the food pantry and grew it from serving just 50 people into a 300-400 person distribution.

Larinda C. Hooks has worked at Elmcor to improve and expand services for older adults. She has served as vice president of older adult services and economic development and previously worked at the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, part of the Acacia Network under the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

Larinda C. Hooks has worked at Elmcor to improve and expand services for older adults. She has served as vice president of Older Adult Services and Economic Development and previously worked at the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, part of the Acacia Network under the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

Biography

Larinda C. Hooks has spent her life dedicated to uplifting others and transforming communities—work that has defined her service as the newly elected Assembly Member for District 35. A lifelong community organizer and civil rights advocate, Larinda’s focus has always been on improving the quality of life for all.

Larinda serves as the Assembly Member for District 35.

2026 New York General Election

That’s why Larinda, in her role at Elmcor, held job fairs that drew over 4,000 people and connected 824 local residents with good jobs. Larinda has always been committed to creating good, permanent union jobs in our neighborhoods, and will demand that any development project in our communities use union labor for both construction of the project and for future jobs at the development. In the Assembly, Larinda will fight to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft, an issue that has a particularly devastating impact on immigrant communities.

Larinda has always been committed to creating good, permanent union jobs in our neighborhoods, and will demand that any development project in our communities use union labor for both construction of the project and for future jobs at the development. In the Assembly, Larinda will fight to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft, an issue that has a particularly devastating impact on immigrant communities.

From creating job development programs at Elmcor to fighting to help small businesses recover from the pandemic, to ensuring development projects benefit the community, Larinda is always fighting for us. In the Assembly, she will work to bring in new businesses and development projects that will create good, union jobs with a path to the middle class for local residents. Larinda knows that the lack of affordability in Queens impacts everyone. That’s why Larinda will fight for cost of living adjustments to help families keep pace with rising costs.

In the Assembly, she will work to bring in new businesses and development projects that will create good, union jobs with a path to the middle class for local residents. Larinda knows that the lack of affordability in Queens impacts everyone. That’s why Larinda will fight for cost of living adjustments to help families keep pace with rising costs.

Queens is the beating heart of New York City – vibrant, diverse and full of boundless potential. As your newly elected Assembly member, I believe our borough deserves bold action and transformational ideas. That’s why I am introducing legislation to reclassify the land around Citi Field, clearing the way for Metropolitan Park, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create 23,000 jobs, revitalize our small businesses and build a world-class public space for all New Yorkers.

Opinion: Why I’m introducing legislation to move Metropolitan Park forward

Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A06010	Relates to unfair claim settlement practices
A06868	Increases the civil penalties for violations of child labor laws
A08242	Renders candidates ineligible to receive public matching funds when such candidate has been found in a prior election cycle to have misused public campaign funds

Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks - Legislation

A09388	Requires that businesses offering physical manipulation services ensure clear visibility from the public right-of-way into certain public spaces on the premises of such businesses
A09398	Requires employers publicly advertising a job posting to include whether such posting is for an existing vacancy or not
A09401	Requires employers and third-party websites, job boards, and recruitment platforms to remove inactive job postings within a certain timeframe

A09398	Requires employers publicly advertising a job posting to include whether such posting is for an existing vacancy or not
A09401	Requires employers and third-party websites, job boards, and recruitment platforms to remove inactive job postings within a certain timeframe
A09530	Requires the department of parks, recreation and historic preservation cut down trees within two weeks of receiving notice

A09599	Requires certain stores that accept credit or debit card payment to accept flexible benefit cards as a form of payment for eligible items
A09601	Prohibits the use of automated systems to make employment decisions unless there is a meaningful human review of the output of such automated system prior to the final employment decision
A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state

A09601	Prohibits the use of automated systems to make employment decisions unless there is a meaningful human review of the output of such automated system prior to the final employment decision
A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state
A09619	Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in N.Y. city

Plans to require union labor for construction and permanent jobs in local development projects.

Plans to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft.

Plans to recruit businesses and development projects that create union jobs for local residents.

Plans to pursue cost-of-living adjustments for families facing rising costs.

Introduced legislation to reclassify land around Citi Field for the proposed Metropolitan Park development.

Sponsored A06868, which increases civil penalties for violations of child labor laws.

Sponsored A09398 and A09401, which require employers to identify vacancies and remove inactive job postings.

Sponsored A09601, requiring meaningful human review before automated employment decisions are finalized.

Sponsored A09610, which increases a state research-and-development tax credit for qualifying in-state activities.

- Plans to require union labor for construction and permanent jobs in local development projects.
- Plans to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft.
- Plans to recruit businesses and development projects that create union jobs for local residents.
- Plans to pursue cost-of-living adjustments for families facing rising costs.
- Introduced legislation to reclassify land around Citi Field for the proposed Metropolitan Park development.
- Sponsored A06868, which increases civil penalties for violations of child labor laws.
- Sponsored A09398 and A09401, which require employers to identify vacancies and remove inactive job postings.
- Sponsored A09601, requiring meaningful human review before automated employment decisions are finalized.
- Sponsored A09610, which increases a state research-and-development tax credit for qualifying in-state activities.

Economy

Let’s be clear: this is about empowerment and community self determination. By reclassifying the land under these parking lots to allow for a sports and entertainment park, we’re giving our community a real say in its future. We’re ensuring that local voices guide the process, that sustainability is a priority and that any development serves the public interest first.

A05299	Expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists
A05489	Establishes mandatory reporting of alleged incidents of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of residents in assisted living and adult care facilities
A05543	Provides that the department of environmental conservation place a community air monitoring system and similar systems as necessary within a one-mile radius of New York city airports

Said proposed Metropolitan Park development should prioritize sustainability, local input, and the public interest.

Sponsored A05543, which requires community air monitoring within one mile of New York City airports.

- Said proposed Metropolitan Park development should prioritize sustainability, local input, and the public interest.
- Sponsored A05543, which requires community air monitoring within one mile of New York City airports.

Energy & the Environment

Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05299	Expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists
A05489	Establishes mandatory reporting of alleged incidents of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of residents in assisted living and adult care facilities
A05543	Provides that the department of environmental conservation place a community air monitoring system and similar systems as necessary within a one-mile radius of New York city airports

Sponsored A05299, which expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists.

Sponsored A05489, establishing mandatory reporting of abuse, mistreatment, or neglect in assisted-living and adult-care facilities.

- Sponsored A05299, which expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists.
- Sponsored A05489, establishing mandatory reporting of abuse, mistreatment, or neglect in assisted-living and adult-care facilities.

Healthcare

A06868	Increases the civil penalties for violations of child labor laws
A08242	Renders candidates ineligible to receive public matching funds when such candidate has been found in a prior election cycle to have misused public campaign funds
A08840	Provides that no state or local correctional facility shall deny entry to a visitor to such facility due to the fact that such person is menstruating, wearing a menstrual product or has a contraceptive device

Sponsored A08242, barring candidates who previously misused public campaign funds from receiving public matching funds.

- Sponsored A08242, barring candidates who previously misused public campaign funds from receiving public matching funds.

Voting & Elections

Larinda is committed to making our communities safer. Larinda has worked in East Elmhurst to combat car and package thefts, burglaries, and scams targeting our seniors. In Corona, she has worked to tackle the guns, gangs, and violence in our neighborhood. In LeFrak, Larinda has taken on the issues of shootings and violence. And districtwide she’s fought for traffic and pedestrian safety. From funding anti-violence initiatives to hosting gun buyback programs, in the Assembly, Larinda will work to get the illegal guns off our streets and ensure public safety,

New York should be proud to lead the way on college-in-prison programs. But true leadership requires constant progress. We must continue to expand access, strengthen support systems, and make higher education in prison a cornerstone of public safety and community development across our state.

Hooks serves in the New York State Assembly, representing the 35th district.

How education makes New York safer

A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state
A09619	Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in N.Y. city
A10797	Relates to claims for unjust conviction and imprisonment

Plans to fund anti-violence initiatives and host gun-buyback programs to reduce illegal guns.

Advocates making higher education in prison a cornerstone of state public-safety policy.

Sponsored A09619, which establishes lighting improvements for New York City rail stations and underpasses.

- Plans to fund anti-violence initiatives and host gun-buyback programs to reduce illegal guns.
- Advocates making higher education in prison a cornerstone of state public-safety policy.
- Sponsored A09619, which establishes lighting improvements for New York City rail stations and underpasses.

Public Safety

But we must build on momentum to bring higher education programs to every one of the 41 prisons. Equally important, we must improve transfer pathways so that students can continue their studies without disruption if they are transferred before completing a degree. Navigating credit transfers, complex paperwork, or a lack of support services too often derails students at a critical moment. Accomplishing this requires sustained state investment in higher education in prison programs, including funding in this year’s state budget.

Plans to fully fund schools, expand community schools, and provide early-childhood and low-cost after-school opportunities.

Advocates for expanding higher-education programs in all state prisons and improving transfer pathways for incarcerated students.

- Plans to fully fund schools, expand community schools, and provide early-childhood and low-cost after-school opportunities.
- Advocates for expanding higher-education programs in all state prisons and improving transfer pathways for incarcerated students.

Education

As a lifelong Queens resident, born and raised in East Elmhurst and Corona, Larinda has seen how skyrocketing rent and housing costs have driven displacement and the homelessness crisis. On the East Elmhurst Corona Civic Association, Larinda has fought to bring deeply affordable housing to our neighborhoods – including affordable senior and supportive housing on Northern Blvd. As our Assemblymember, Larinda will fight to create truly affordable housing for working-class and low-income families, spur additional housing development, protect local residents from eviction and displacement, and focus on infrastructure to stem flooding.

Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05299	Expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists
A05489	Establishes mandatory reporting of alleged incidents of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of residents in assisted living and adult care facilities
A05543	Provides that the department of environmental conservation place a community air monitoring system and similar systems as necessary within a one-mile radius of New York city airports
A06010	Relates to unfair claim settlement practices
A06868	Increases the civil penalties for violations of child labor laws
A08242	Renders candidates ineligible to receive public matching funds when such candidate has been found in a prior election cycle to have misused public campaign funds
A08840	Provides that no state or local correctional facility shall deny entry to a visitor to such facility due to the fact that such person is menstruating, wearing a menstrual product or has a contraceptive device
A09388	Requires that businesses offering physical manipulation services ensure clear visibility from the public right-of-way into certain public spaces on the premises of such businesses
A09398	Requires employers publicly advertising a job posting to include whether such posting is for an existing vacancy or not
A09401	Requires employers and third-party websites, job boards, and recruitment platforms to remove inactive job postings within a certain timeframe
A09530	Requires the department of parks, recreation and historic preservation cut down trees within two weeks of receiving notice
A09599	Requires certain stores that accept credit or debit card payment to accept flexible benefit cards as a form of payment for eligible items
A09601	Prohibits the use of automated systems to make employment decisions unless there is a meaningful human review of the output of such automated system prior to the final employment decision
A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state
A09619	Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in N.Y. city
A10797	Relates to claims for unjust conviction and imprisonment
A11090	Enacts the "automatic utility deferment act"
A11168	Extends the authority of the department of environmental conservation to manage black sea bass
A11177	Authorizes the board of trustees of any library chartered by the regents of the state of New York to develop, lease, or use public library spaces for the purposes of constructing affordable, mixed-use housing

Plans to pursue affordable housing development, eviction and displacement protections, and infrastructure to address flooding.

Sponsored A11177, which authorizes libraries to develop or lease space for affordable mixed-use housing.

- Plans to pursue affordable housing development, eviction and displacement protections, and infrastructure to address flooding.
- Sponsored A11177, which authorizes libraries to develop or lease space for affordable mixed-use housing.

Housing & Urban Development

Instagram

Facebook

Larinda C. Hooks

- Plans to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft.
- Plans to recruit businesses and development projects that create union jobs for local residents.
- Plans to pursue cost-of-living adjustments for families facing rising costs.
- Introduced legislation to reclassify land around Citi Field for the proposed Metropolitan Park development.
- Sponsored A06868, which increases civil penalties for violations of child labor laws.
- Sponsored A09398 and A09401, which require employers to identify vacancies and remove inactive job postings.
- Sponsored A09601, requiring meaningful human review before automated employment decisions are finalized.
- Sponsored A09610, which increases a state research-and-development tax credit for qualifying in-state activities.

HOUSING

As a lifelong Queens resident, born and raised in East Elmhurst and Corona, Larinda has seen how skyrocketing rent and housing costs have driven displacement and the homelessness crisis.

Issues | Larinda Hooks for State Assembly

Larinda C. Hooks - Assembly District 35 | New York State Assembly

As a NYC public school graduate and a mother of five children who all attended our public schools, Larinda knows how important our schools are for both our children and our communities. That’s why Larinda served as PTA President at Veritas High School and PS 127Q.

YOUTH

Larinda has dedicated her life to helping and mentoring our youth. She has served as a youth football and basketball coach for nearly two decades, and also led our youth as part of the Girl Scouts, Soap Box Derby, Summer Youth Employment Program, and the Civic Association Youth Council.

Larinda knows that the unemployment rate, especially for Black and Latino people, is unacceptable. That’s why Larinda, in her role at Elmcor, held job fairs that drew over 4,000 people and connected 824 local residents with good jobs. Larinda has always been committed to creating good, permanent union jobs in our neighborhoods, and will demand that any development project in our communities use union labor for both construction of the project and for future jobs at the development. In the Assembly, Larinda will fight to raise the minimum wage and address wage theft, an issue that has a particularly devastating impact on immigrant communities.

Economic Development

From creating job development programs at Elmcor to fighting to help small businesses recover from the pandemic, to ensuring development projects benefit the community, Larinda is always fighting for us. In the Assembly, she will work to bring in new businesses and development projects that will create good, union jobs with a path to the middle class for local residents. Larinda knows that the lack of affordability in Queens impacts everyone. That’s why Larinda will fight for cost of living adjustments to help families keep pace with rising costs.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A06010	Relates to unfair claim settlement practices
A06868	Increases the civil penalties for violations of child labor laws

Larinda C. Hooks - Sponsored Legislation | New York State Assembly

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A09599	Requires certain stores that accept credit or debit card payment to accept flexible benefit cards as a form of payment for eligible items
A09601	Prohibits the use of automated systems to make employment decisions unless there is a meaningful human review of the output of such automated system prior to the final employment decision

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A09601	Prohibits the use of automated systems to make employment decisions unless there is a meaningful human review of the output of such automated system prior to the final employment decision
A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state

Plans to require union labor for construction and future jobs in community development projects.

Sponsored A09398 and A09401 to identify job postings as vacancies and require removal of inactive postings.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05489	Establishes mandatory reporting of alleged incidents of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of residents in assisted living and adult care facilities
A05543	Provides that the department of environmental conservation place a community air monitoring system and similar systems as necessary within a one-mile radius of New York city airports

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A11090	Enacts the "automatic utility deferment act"
A11168	Extends the authority of the department of environmental conservation to manage black sea bass

Sponsored A09530 to require park authorities to cut down trees within two weeks after notice.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05299	Expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05299	Expands the Doctors Across New York program to include dentists
A05489	Establishes mandatory reporting of alleged incidents of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of residents in assisted living and adult care facilities

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A06868	Increases the civil penalties for violations of child labor laws
A08242	Renders candidates ineligible to receive public matching funds when such candidate has been found in a prior election cycle to have misused public campaign funds

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A09610	Increases the excelsior research and development tax credit for qualified research and development expenditures attributable to activities conducted in New York state
A09619	Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in N.Y. city

The results that will follow investment in expansion are undeniable. Students report that pursuing higher education while incarcerated gives them hope, direction, and a pathway to careers they could not otherwise access. Research consistently shows that higher education in prison reduces recidivism, improves job placement, saves taxpayers money, and strengthens public safety. New York should be proud to lead the way on college-in-prison programs. But true leadership requires constant progress. We must continue to expand access, strengthen support systems, and make higher education in prison a cornerstone of public safety and community development across our state.

Op-Ed | How education makes New York safer

As a NYC public school graduate and a mother of five children who all attended our public schools, Larinda knows how important our schools are for both our children and our communities. That’s why Larinda served as PTA President at Veritas High School and PS 127Q. She’ll fight to ensure that our schools are fully funded, to expand the community schools model, and make sure all our children have the resources they need to succeed - from early childhood education to free or low-cost after-school opportunities.

New York is already a national leader in this effort. Higher education programs are a partnership between campuses across the state and the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Because many campuses — including many SUNY campuses — are located near correctional facilities, these collaborations are natural and effective. Today, universities have a presence in 36 state prisons. The instruction participants receive is identical to what universities provide on their campuses. Courses are taught by professors, students are held to the same academic standards, and their coursework leads to the same degrees. Faculty frequently note that their justice-involved students are among the most motivated in their classrooms, often outperforming traditional students. But we must build on momentum to bring higher education programs to every one of the 41 prisons. Equally important, we must improve transfer pathways so that students can continue their studies without disruption if they are transferred before completing a degree.

Navigating credit transfers, complex paperwork, or a lack of support services too often derails students at a critical moment. Accomplishing this requires sustained state investment in higher education in prison programs, including funding in this year’s state budget. The results that will follow investment in expansion are undeniable.

Advocates expanding college-in-prison programs to all 41 state prisons and improving transfer pathways for incarcerated students.

- .
- Advocates expanding college-in-prison programs to all 41 state prisons and improving transfer pathways for incarcerated students.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A11168	Extends the authority of the department of environmental conservation to manage black sea bass
A11177	Authorizes the board of trustees of any library chartered by the regents of the state of New York to develop, lease, or use public library spaces for the purposes of constructing affordable, mixed-use housing

Plans to pursue affordable housing development, tenant protections against eviction and displacement, and infrastructure to address flooding.

- Plans to pursue affordable housing development, tenant protections against eviction and displacement, and infrastructure to address flooding.
- .

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the New York State Assembly.