Robert Holden (politician)

Robert Holden
Holden in 2024
Member of the New York City Council
from the 30th district
In office
January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2025
Preceded byElizabeth Crowley
Succeeded byPhil Wong
Personal details
Born (1951-10-12) October 12, 1951
New York City, New York, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseAmy Holden
Children3
EducationNew York City College of
Technology (AAS)
Queens College (BA)
Hunter College (MFA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Robert F. Holden (born October 12, 1951)[1] is an American professor, graphic designer, and a former New York City Council member from the 30th district, representing the neighborhoods of Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, and parts of Woodside and Woodhaven in the borough of Queens.[2]

Holden came to elected office after some three decades in Queens civic affairs, most prominently as president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, in which capacity he led local opposition to a 2016 plan to convert a Maspeth hotel into a homeless shelter. He was elected to the council in 2017, defeating the incumbent Elizabeth Crowley in the general election after losing to her in the Democratic primary. One of the most conservative Democrats on the council, he chaired its Committee on Veterans and helped lead the Common Sense Caucus. He was barred by term limits from seeking a further term and left office at the end of 2025.[3]

Early life and education

Holden was raised in Maspeth, Queens.[4] He earned an AAS from the New York City College of Technology, a BA from Queens College, and an MFA from Hunter College,[5] all CUNY schools.

Career

Holden is a professional graphic designer and a professor of the same at the New York City College of Technology.[4][5]

Holden has also worked as an editor and art director for Juniper Berry magazine,[4] and as a photojournalist published in newspapers and magazines in the United States and Europe.[5] He has had his work exhibited at International Center of Photography, and other galleries.[5]

Civic activism

Holden has been a member of Queens Community Board 5 since 1988.[4] He served as the board's first vice-chair and as chair of its public safety committee.[3][6]

Holden became president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, a Maspeth-based community group, in 1990 and held the post for about 25 years. Juniper Berry is the association's magazine.[3] In 2016 the association was among the organisations that led opposition to a plan by the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio to convert a Holiday Inn Express in Maspeth into a homeless shelter. Holden was a prominent figure in the months of protests that followed, and criticised the administration for what he described as a lack of transparency and the local elected officials for not attending demonstrations. The city ultimately modified its plan for the site.[7][8]

New York City Council

2017 election

Holden, a long-registered Democrat,[1] ran in the 2017 Democratic primary for New York City Council against incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Crowley, but lost 63.6% to 36.1%.[9] In the general election, Holden ran on the Republican, Conservative, Reform Party lines, as well as the independent "Dump de Blasio" line.[10] Despite not being a registered member of the Republican party, he was able to receive the county's nomination by obtaining a Wilson Pakula authorization.[10][11]

Holden won a tight race, garnering 10,653 votes to Crowley's 10,426.[10][12][13]

Tenure

Holden won the Democratic primary in 2021 against Juan Ardila and was re-elected that November, again appearing on the Republican and Conservative lines as well as his own party's. He was re-elected to a further term in 2023, running on the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and several minor party lines.[14]

In the council Holden chaired the Committee on Veterans and sat on committees including public safety, fire and emergency management, parks and recreation, technology, and environmental protection.[14] He was among the founders of the Common Sense Caucus, a conservative-leaning bloc formed as a counterweight to the council's Progressive Caucus. Holden and Kalman Yeger were the only Democrats among its members, the remainder being Republicans.[15] He was frequently described as the most conservative Democrat on the council.[16]

Term limits barred Holden from seeking another term in 2025. Two members of his council staff, Phil Wong and Alicia Vaichunas, ran to succeed him. Holden endorsed Wong, who won the general election in November 2025 and took office the following January.[6][17]

Political views

Public safety

In April 2023 Holden was a witness at a field hearing of the House Judiciary Committee held in Manhattan on violent crime, at which the committee's Republican majority criticised the policies of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Holden, the only Democratic elected official to testify, said that serious offences were being charged as lesser ones. His participation drew criticism from other New York Democrats, which he publicly rejected.[18]

Animal welfare

Holden opposes the operation of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, which he describes as "torture". He has authored legislation to phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry and retrain drivers in other fields.[19]

Polish heritage recognition

In 2018, Holden sponsored resolutions to recognize Polish Independence Day, Tadeusz Kosciuszko Day, and Casimir Pulaski Day in New York City. The Ridgewood neighborhood in Holden's district has a significant Polish American population.[20]

Land use and zoning

In 2024, Holden fought to keep parking minimums in the New York City zoning code. During reform negotiations, there were proposals to reduce parking requirements for buildings near transit stations.[21] Holden argued for parking mandates, saying, "It’s gotten so bad in parts of my district, including Maspeth, Middle Village and Ridgewood, that the firehouses are telling me when they go to a fire they can’t find the hydrant because it’s blocked by somebody parking."[21]

Holden voted against a modified version of Mayor Eric Adams's zoning proposal called The City of Yes, which would allow the conversion and construction of 80,000 new and legal housing units across New York City. The plan was approved by the council in December 2024.[22]

Transportation

Holden is a staunch critic of proposals to implement congestion pricing, calling it a "ridiculous tax that's going to kill New York City."[23][24]

Election history

2017

New York City Council, 30th District, Primary election[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Elizabeth Crowley (incumbent) 3,621 62.5
Democratic Robert Holden 2,050 35.4
  Write-In 16 0.2
  Unattributable 107 1.8
New York City Council, 30th District, General election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Holden 8,720 40.5
Conservative Robert Holden 1,507 7.0
Reform Robert Holden 189 0.9
Dump De Blasio Robert Holden 147 0.7
Total Robert Holden1 10,563 49.0
Democratic Elizabeth Crowley 9,351 43.4
Working Families Elizabeth Crowley 911 4.2
Women's Equality Elizabeth Crowley 164 0.7
Total Elizabeth Crowley (incumbent) 10,426 48.4
  Write-in 11 0.2
  Unattributable 123 2.4

2021

New York City Council, 30th District, Primary election[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Holden 5,250 54.6
Democratic Juan Ardila 4,324 45.0
  Other 38 0.4
New York City Council, 30th District, General election[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Holden 10,555 52.4
Democratic Robert Holden 7,991 39.6
Conservative Robert Holden 1,167 5.8
Total Robert Holden 19,713 97.8
Write-ins Write-ins 440 2.2
Total votes 20,153 100.0

^Holden is a registered Democrat but received the Republican party's nomination after losing the Democratic primary.

Personal life

As of 2017, Holden had been married to his wife, Amy, for 44 years.[4] They have three children and three grandchildren.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Robert Holden". Retrieved May 5, 2018 – via council.nyc.gov.
  2. ↑ 30th District, New York City Council "New York City Council". Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Tired, but never of serving: Bob Holden". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bio - Robert Holden for City Council". Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Team, CIS Web. "Faculty Profile". www.citytech.cuny.edu. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "2025 Election: Phil Wong wins Queens' District 30 City Council race". QNS. November 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Maspeth residents continue protests against homeless shelter, criticizing city for bad policies". QNS. August 25, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  8. ↑ "City Homeless Agency Alters Plans for Maspeth Holiday Inn in Response to Community Pressure". NY1. October 10, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  9. ↑ Coltin, Jeff; Lentz, Jon (September 23, 2017). "New York City's 2017 primary election results". City & State New York. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 Runyeon, Frank G. (November 16, 2017). "How Holden beat Crowley – and why he's not loyal to either party". City & State New York. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  11. ↑ Kelley, Ryan (January 17, 2018). "Queens Councilman Holden remains a Democrat and is eager to Contribute to Council Committees". qns.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Winners & Losers of 2017". City & State New York. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Statement and Return Report for Certification: General Election - 11/07/2017" (PDF). Board of Elections in the City of New York. November 7, 2017.
  14. 1 2 "Robert Holden". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Conservatives in the chamber: NYC's Common Sense Caucus tries to counter the left". Gothamist. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  16. ↑ "The Wild City Council Race to Replace 'Common Sense' Democrat Bob Holden". Hell Gate. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Office politics: What happens when your office is running for office?". Queens Daily Eagle. April 27, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Democrat Robert Holden defiant after testifying at GOP crime hearing". City & State New York. April 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  19. ↑ O'Brien, Shane (August 19, 2025). "CM Holden hosts rally supporting Ryder's Law as part of efforts to wind down NYC's horse carriage industry". QNS. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  20. ↑ Hallum, Mark (November 1, 2018). "Ridgewood's Polish American residents honored with City Council resolutions". qns.com. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Nahmias, Laura; Cattan, Nacha (November 22, 2024). "NYC Gets Historic Push for 80,000 Homes With $5 Billion Pledge". Bloomberg News.
  22. ↑ Schwach, Ryan (December 5, 2024). "City of Yes gets final 'yes' from City Council". Queens Daily Eagle.
  23. ↑ Pascus, Brian (September 12, 2022). "Bipartisan group of lawmakers stumps to oppose congestion pricing". Crain's New York Business.
  24. ↑ Williams, Doug (August 17, 2023). "MTA: Money made from congestion pricing will be used to address existing issues". CBS New York.
  25. ↑ "Statement and Return Report for Certification: Primary Election - 09/12/2017" (PDF). Board of Elections in the City of New York. September 26, 2017.
  26. ↑ "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds" (PDF). Board of Elections in the City of New York. July 20, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Statement and Return Report for Certification". Board of Elections in the City of New York. November 3, 2021.
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