New York City Council member Alexa Aviles has made headlines as the newest addition to the socialist millionaire club in Gotham, a detail she seems keen to downplay.
The Democratic Socialists of America member — a significant supporter of mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, frequently seen campaigning for him — disclosed assets ranging from $1.1 million to $1.8 million in her latest annual report.
The progressive politician and her husband seem untroubled by their accumulation of private properties, including two homes in Florida, in addition to their primary residence in Brooklyn’s Greenwood Heights valued at $590,000, as outlined in her 2024 declaration to NYC’s Conflicts of Interest Board.
At the age of 52, Aviles and Correa purchased their initial Florida condo in 2012 for $79,000 during a foreclosure sale. This acquisition followed the bank’s foreclosure on the 2-bedroom home owned by 65-year-old Danelia Fuste in 2009, amidst the housing crisis that resulted in millions losing their homes.
In April 2021, the couple acquired a second property: a spacious 3-bedroom, 2-bath home in an Orlando gated community featuring amenities like a pool, fitness center, and walking paths, just as Aviles was starting her initial campaign run.
In a June interview with The Tenant, she expressed her belief that “housing should be decommodified,” mentioning the couple “own two out-of-state apartments that house family members.”
However, just two days prior to that interview, records revealed that the Orlando condo they bought during the market crash was available for rent at $2,200, as noted on real estate platform Trulia.
Six days later, the listing price dropped to $1,900.
“This indicates a clear profit motive,” commented a Sunset Park resident who chose to remain anonymous. “She preaches decommodifying housing while actively participating in the very practices she criticizes. This isn’t just a minor inconsistency; it amounts to a serious betrayal of her stated values.”
Aviles stated that her mother-in-law and niece lived in their Florida residences, but noted her niece had recently moved out, prompting the rental listing.
“The Councilmember believes that affordable housing is a basic human right, which is why she advocates for a rent freeze and for holding negligent, predatory landlords accountable,” a spokesperson conveyed to The Post.
Aviles was elected in 2021 to succeed Carlos Menchaca, representing Red Hook, Sunset Park, and other areas of South Brooklyn, in a campaign supported by the DSA, with housing justice and affordability as core tenets aimed at resonating with the working-class constituents.
During her inaugural year in office, the councilwoman used her position to host a DSA meeting, raising ethical concerns regarding potential city law violations.
She highlights her husband as a member of the utility transport workers union on her campaign website, however, Correa, 56, left his position at Brooklyn Union Gas, where he worked in sales, two years prior.
At one point, he sought to fully engage in capitalism as a real estate and investment broker, according to records from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, although Aviles’ office asserted this is no longer a source of income.
Before her political career, Aviles served as a top program director for the Scherman Foundation, a private philanthropic organization that “invests in the economic, political, and cultural transformation necessary for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to reclaim and build power.” She earned an annual salary of $215,387, managing a portfolio of millions for progressive organizations like Make the Road NY.
Aviles has actively supported her comrade Mamdani in the campaign trail.
She addressed his “A City We Can Win” rally on June 14, shortly before the Democratic Primary.
“I’m truly honored to be part of a grassroots movement that’s working to remove a corrupt mayor from City Hall and usher in a new political era for New York’s working class with our next mayor, Zohran Mamdani,” she proclaimed to an enthusiastic audience.
“Big real estate and Wall Street billionaires… have taken control of City Hall to ensure the wealthiest New Yorkers benefit, while the rest have to fight for scraps.”
Other left-leaning politicians recently found to have significant financial assets include “Squad” members Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn).
Financial disclosures indicated Pressley’s assets range from $2.5 million to $8 million, while Omar, known for her Jimmy Choos, declared holdings between $6 million and $30 million, despite claiming disinformation back in February when questioned about her wealth online.
In stark contrast, comrade Mamdani reported a mere $2,000 in his bank account on his most recent state disclosures, despite being from a privileged background and having family funds, while sharing a rent-stabilized apartment with his wife on a six-figure salary.
