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5 NYC mayoral candidates take on Rev. Al Sharpton’s challenge, spent last night in public housing

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Social Links for C.J. Sullivan
Published July 21, 2013, 7:06 p.m. ET
City Comptroller and mayoral candidate John Liu in an apartment in the Lincoln Houses of East Harlem. Liu spent the night in the public-housing complex. G.N. Miller

Christine Quinn leaving the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem after spending the night.

Christine Quinn leaving the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem after spending the night. (G.N. Miller)

Anthony Weiner leaving the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem after spending the night.

Anthony Weiner leaving the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem after spending the night. (G.N. Miller)

Bill Thompson in the apartment he stayed in last night in the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem.

Bill Thompson in the apartment he stayed in last night in the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem. (Christopher Sadowski)

Bill De Blasio and his daughter with Katherine Wilson and her son Reginald, inside the apartment where De Blasio and his daughter slumbered overnight.

Bill De Blasio and his daughter with Katherine Wilson and her son Reginald, inside the apartment where De Blasio and his daughter slumbered overnight. (G.N. Miller)

Five candidates for New York City mayor spent last night away from home and got a wake-up call — in a public-housing complex.

“The apartment I stayed in had a bathroom that was covered with black mold,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. “It was the worst I’ve ever seen. When the city of New York is the landlord, this is unacceptable.”

Quinn was one of five Democratic candidates for mayor who accepted a challenge from the Rev. Al Sharpton to spend a night in a public-housing complex.

The candidates slept over last night at the Lincoln Houses in East Harlem, where residents bent their ears about living conditions, city services and the lack of employment opportunities.

“I came out at midnight to talk with the young people in the projects, and all they want to know about was getting jobs,” said city Comptroller John Liu.

The other candidates who slept over were former US Congressman Anthony Weiner, city Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and former city Comptroller Bill Thompson.

The guests slept on sofas, air mattresses and sleeping bags in the apartments, some of which were without air conditioning on one of the hottest days of the year.

Sharpton spent part of his childhood in public housing, moving from middle-class Hollis, Queens, to a housing complex in Brownsville after his parents split up.

At least one candidate for mayor, John Catsimatidis, was unimpressed with the sleepover. He did not accept the challenge.

“I grew up on 135 St. in conditions like the #NYCHA Houses, unlike the other candidates who are out of touch & have no idea what it’s like,” he said in a message to his followers on Twitter.