Michael is originally from the former USSR and was fortunate to have successfully immigrated to the United States with his family. Michael has worked for 20 years in the radio business, and in 2019, he co-founded Freedom FM, the most listened to Russian-language radio station in the country.

Biography | Assemblymember Michael Novakhov

Michael lives in Manhattan Beach and has a deep connection to his community. He is, wholeheartedly, devoted to our city and district. Standing on his strong civic position, desire for change, and the support of his base of radio listeners and associates, Michael stepped up to run for the New York State Assembly in 2022 to not just inspire reform but to make real, productive changes for the community he has proudly called home for more than 20 years.

Michael for New York

Michael Novakhov is originally from the former USSR. He lives in Manhattan Beach.

Since 2003, Michael has worked within the media business, in New York. In 2019, nearly 20 years after he began his career, his dream came true when Michael cofounded and opened Freedom FM.

Since 2003, Michael has worked within the media business, in New York. In 2019, nearly 20 years after he began his career, his dream came true when Michael cofounded and opened Freedom FM. In the three years of broadcasting from New York's Freedom Tower, Freedom FM (freedom squared), headed by Michael, has become the most listened to, loved, and influential Russian-language radio station across, both, New York and America.

Michael works in New York's media business and co-founded Freedom FM.

Biography

Michael “Misha” Novakhov was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022. The 45th Assembly District includes portions of Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, and Brighton Beach.

MICHAEL NOVAKHOV

Michael has proudly served his community as Assemblymember for the 45th District since 2023. Since taking office he has fought for our community, put forward and co-sponsored over 200 pieces of legislation that will significantly improve our quality of life, and has ensured that nearly half a million dollars in State and grant funding has flowed directly into our community to support the organizations dedicated to helping keep our community great.

Michael currently serves as Assemblymember for the 45th District. He was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022.

2026 New York General Election

I will work to:

Support restaurants struggling due to government restrictions by fighting for direct financial support to hire staff and create tax incentives for businesses that were impacted by COVID-19.

Provide rent assistance to small businesses to ensure they can remain open.

Michael for New York Platform

I will work to:

Support restaurants struggling due to government restrictions by fighting for direct financial support to hire staff and create tax incentives for businesses that were impacted by COVID-19.

Provide rent assistance to small businesses to ensure they can remain open.

Work to ensure representation of local small businesses on Community Boards.

I will work to:

Support restaurants struggling due to government restrictions by fighting for direct financial support to hire staff and create tax incentives for businesses that were impacted by COVID-19.

Provide rent assistance to small businesses to ensure they can remain open.

Work to ensure representation of local small businesses on Community Boards.

Fight against bureaucratic restrictions that have driven businesses out of New York and stifle new business growth and development. 

Strengthen career pipelines from school to well-paid jobs.

“I first want to thank Leader Ra for the confidence he placed in me to represent the Minority Conference on this committee. As we are moving toward a final budget, I am urging our Majority colleagues to include our Conference in negotiations, so all perspectives are represented and valued.
While I am glad to see both the governor and the Majority include things such as child tax credit expansion and reducing burdens on providers, I am concerned that the expansion of childcare eligibility was done without appropriate funding, so families and counties are now shouldering the cost burden. We must also address why New York has a higher-than-average number of SNAP payment errors that cause us to pay millions to the federal government.
The state is also failing by delaying the implementation of chip-enabled EBT cards, which would prevent money being stolen from the most vulnerable as we have seen in recent years.I look forward to working with my colleagues to finalize a fiscally responsible budget, and I hope negotiations are done with transparency,” said Novakhov.

Novakhov Comments on Human Services Budget Conference Committee

Supports direct aid and tax incentives for restaurants affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

Supports rent assistance for small businesses.

Opposes bureaucratic restrictions he says hinder business growth and development.

Plans to strengthen career pathways from schools to well-paid jobs.

Said expanded child-care eligibility should receive adequate funding so families and counties do not bear the costs.

- Supports direct aid and tax incentives for restaurants affected by COVID-19 restrictions.
- Supports rent assistance for small businesses.
- Opposes bureaucratic restrictions he says hinder business growth and development.
- Plans to strengthen career pathways from schools to well-paid jobs.
- Said expanded child-care eligibility should receive adequate funding so families and counties do not bear the costs.

Economy

Assemblyman Michael Novakhov (R,C-Brooklyn) joined Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra (R,C-Franklin Square) and Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R,C-62nd District) to highlight New York’s broken energy policy. Novakhov notes that a recent New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) memo shows New York City residents will pay over $2,000 more on their utility bills annually because of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

“We have been saying for years that the energy plan put forward by Majority lawmakers was flawed and would result in higher utility bills. Now we have proof from a state agency. That is why we need an overhaul of the green energy mandates pushed by Albany Majority lawmakers and a balanced, all-of-the-above approach to energy policy. That is why we have introduced the LOWER plan, which will do just that. I will continue to fight for energy choice and affordability for Southern Brooklyn,” said Novakhov.

Novakhov Attends Press Conference Calling out Majority’s Energy Plan

Calls for overhauling state green-energy mandates and adopting an all-of-the-above energy policy focused on consumer choice and affordability.

- Calls for overhauling state green-energy mandates and adopting an all-of-the-above energy policy focused on consumer choice and affordability.

Energy & the Environment

We must:

Expand the reach of our Health and Hospital system.

Provide more scholarship incentives to CUNY and SUNY students to study medicine, healthcare management, and social work.

Increase funding for informal caregiver training

Require the state to develop and provide elder abuse prevention training to senior service centers and contractors, in consultation with the Office of Children and Family Services.

And expand pharmaceutical insurance coverage for medicines in line with annual changes in treatment.

I am committed to:

Expanding Medicaid coverage of long-term stays in residential health institutions

Increasing funding for non-profit organizations whose goals are focused on providing affordable mental healthcare access

And increasing resources for outpatient substance abuse treatment.

Supports expanding the Health and Hospitals system and providing scholarships for health-related study at the City University of New York and State University of New York.

Supports caregiver training, elder-abuse prevention training, and pharmaceutical insurance coverage that reflects changes in treatments.

Supports expanding Medicaid coverage for long-term residential care, mental-health access, and outpatient substance-use treatment.

Calls for implementing chip-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to prevent theft of benefits.

- Supports expanding the Health and Hospitals system and providing scholarships for health-related study at the City University of New York and State University of New York.
- Supports caregiver training, elder-abuse prevention training, and pharmaceutical insurance coverage that reflects changes in treatments.
- Supports expanding Medicaid coverage for long-term residential care, mental-health access, and outpatient substance-use treatment.
- Calls for implementing chip-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to prevent theft of benefits.

Healthcare

As of September 9, 2026, Michael Novakhov’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

I am committed to:

Fighting against failed Bail Reform. Bail reform has proven to be detrimental to our state and has been a direct factor in the explosion of crime and recidivism across our city. I am proud to Co-Sponsor legislation in the Assembly that will give back judicial discretion to our judges to help keep repeat offenders off the street and end the revolving door system we currently have in place.

Training law enforcement to address mental health needs. Keeping our officers safe by giving them the tools and training needed to understand the various mental health needs or challenges individuals face is crucial in making sure our officers are well prepared for any situation. Funding programs to empower our officers to understand and properly address mental health situations as well as when to call a trained professional are vital steps in advancing and supporting public safety.

Stopping the Flow of Guns. I will ensure New York State fully enforces legislation to fight gun violence, as well as continue to introduce new laws to crush the iron pipeline of illegal guns.

Combatting Illegal Smoke Shops. With the recent decriminalization of cannabis, our state has become faced with a the new problem of smoke shops illegally selling vapes and cannabis to our youth and communities. I am proud to have authored and introduced legislation to combat these illegal stores by making the illegal sale of cannabis without a license a felony. I am also proud to have put forward legislation that, if enacted, would make it illegal to smoke cannabis in a public place. Many other large cities across the country have safely and successfully legalized cannabis use. Nearly all of them ban it's use publicly. We need to do the same.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05141	Prohibits persons affiliated with terror organizations from being appointed to permanent, temporary or provisional positions
A05178	Prohibits the public use of cannabis, unless approved by the applicable local government
A05179	Safety and Accountability of Fast-motorized and Electric (S.A.F.E.) Vehicles Speed Act

Assemblymember Novakhov Speaks Out Against the Coney Island Casino

Supports restoring judicial discretion in bail decisions to keep repeat offenders in custody.

Supports funding training for law-enforcement officers to respond to mental-health situations and call trained professionals when appropriate.

Plans to enforce gun-violence laws and introduce legislation targeting illegal gun trafficking.

Introduced legislation making unlicensed cannabis sales a felony and prohibiting public cannabis use.

Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 10124, prohibiting youthful-offender status for people who commit hate crimes.

Opposes the proposed Coney Island resort casino, citing public-safety, traffic, and emergency-services concerns.

- Supports restoring judicial discretion in bail decisions to keep repeat offenders in custody.
- Supports funding training for law-enforcement officers to respond to mental-health situations and call trained professionals when appropriate.
- Plans to enforce gun-violence laws and introduce legislation targeting illegal gun trafficking.
- Introduced legislation making unlicensed cannabis sales a felony and prohibiting public cannabis use.
- Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 10124, prohibiting youthful-offender status for people who commit hate crimes.
- Opposes the proposed Coney Island resort casino, citing public-safety, traffic, and emergency-services concerns.

Public Safety

My policies surrounding education and the rights of our youngest population are as follows:

Get New York City’s public school system the funding it is owed. New York public schools are being short-changed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding every year. As we continue to hear stories of parent-teacher associations funding essential school resources, or teachers paying out of pocket for supplies, we must remember the debt owed to our children from Albany. Your tax dollars are being withheld from our children. As your Assembly Member, I am committed to working with parents, educators, and our youngest citizens to have those funds released.

I am committed to expanding school choice options, including charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling, to provide families with the flexibility they need to navigate the educational journey of their children. I firmly believe in the fundamental principle that every child deserves access to an excellent education tailored to their unique needs. In the Assembly, I have advocated for school choice initiatives, empowering parents to make informed decisions about their children's education.

Give Parents and Teachers a Greater Voice in Mayoral Control. The recent push to renew Mayoral Control of New York City’s schools illustrated the limited voice of parents and teachers in the decision-making process. I will work with the entire school community the next time the policy comes up for a renewal to balance the mayor’s outsized control of the education system. That could include putting more parent and teacher seats on the Panel for Education Policy and stronger oversight on the DOE’s budget.

Fund better afterschool programming for students. With crime on the rise throughout New York, now more than ever we need community-driven, state-funded programs that serve our neighborhoods and our students—both those students who live in our district and those who travel into our district to receive their education. Robust extracurricular programming has proven effects on preventing youth incarceration.

“I enthusiastically support the changes put forth today. For far too long our schools have been soft targets for individuals seeking to cause harm. Allowing our brave law enforcement officials to be armed and protect our children is a no brainer, we should also allow schools to close and lock all their doors during the day. However, while increasing security in schools is good, it is not enough, that is why the mental health and counseling aspects for troubled students are so important. We must give our students struggling with mental health the support and care they need,” concluded Novakhov.

Assemblymember Michael Novakhov School Safety Statement

Supports releasing additional state funding for New York City public schools.

Supports expanding school-choice options, including charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.

Proposes adding parent and teacher seats to the Panel for Educational Policy and strengthening oversight of the Department of Education budget.

Supports state-funded, community-driven afterschool programs.

Supports armed law-enforcement officers, locked school doors, and mental-health counseling for students as school-safety measures.

- Supports releasing additional state funding for New York City public schools.
- Supports expanding school-choice options, including charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.
- Proposes adding parent and teacher seats to the Panel for Educational Policy and strengthening oversight of the Department of Education budget.
- Supports state-funded, community-driven afterschool programs.
- Supports armed law-enforcement officers, locked school doors, and mental-health counseling for students as school-safety measures.

Education

Ban apartment warehousing and update our housing tracking systems. Keeping apartments empty while the market is down contributes to the illegal conversion of rental units and legitimizes inflated prices. I am proud to Co-Sponsor legislation in the Assembly that will help combat the out of control price of housing while fighting against the illegal practice of warehousing.

My policies for better housing in District 45 are simple:

Restore the nearly 32,000 apartments being used as illegal hotels in New York City to the market at an affordable rate. It’s time for landlords acting in bad faith during this statewide housing crisis to pay up.

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A07470	Includes mixed residential and commercial property within the affordable home ownership program
A07478	Establishes a housing infrastructure tax credit to provide a credit of up to ten percent of costs for infrastructure projects
A07479	Enacts the "homebuyer renovation property tax exemption act"

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A07499	Provides basis for determining primary residency
A07507	Creates a homeownership rehabilitation credit
A07876	Requires colleges and universities to provide students with written information on reporting bias related and hate crimes

Supports banning apartment warehousing and updating housing-tracking systems.

Supports returning apartments used as illegal hotels to the housing market at affordable rates.

Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7478, creating a tax credit of up to 10 percent of infrastructure-project costs.

Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7507, creating a homeownership rehabilitation credit.

- Supports banning apartment warehousing and updating housing-tracking systems.
- Supports returning apartments used as illegal hotels to the housing market at affordable rates.
- Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7478, creating a tax credit of up to 10 percent of infrastructure-project costs.
- Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7507, creating a homeownership rehabilitation credit.

Housing & Urban Development

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Michael Novakhov

- Supports returning apartments used as illegal hotels to the housing market at affordable rates.
- Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7478, creating a tax credit of up to 10 percent of infrastructure-project costs.
- Sponsored Assembly Bill (A) 7507, creating a homeownership rehabilitation credit.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Joey Cohen-Saban

- 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.