Hanif began her career working as a community organizer with CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities,where she spent two years building tenant power with Bangladeshi and other Asian NYCHA residents. [6]
New York City Council
In late 2019,with her boss Lander facing term limits,Hanif announced her intention to run for the City Council's 39th district in 2021. [9] The district,which had previously been represented by Mayor Bill de Blasio and which was soon to promote Lander to the City Comptroller's office,was described as a "political launching pad" by Gotham Gazette . [10]
Hanif faced six other candidates in the June 2021 Democratic primary,most notable among them activist Brandon West. Hanif and West both ran on similar left-wing policy platforms,but West received the support of the Democratic Socialists of America and other socialist elected officials,while Hanif was backed by the Working Families Party and other more traditional progressive organizations;Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,meanwhile,issued an unusual dual endorsement of both candidates. [11] [12]
On election night,Hanif held a 32-23% advantage over West. [13] When absentee ballots and ranked-choice votes were counted two weeks later,Hanif emerged with a 57-43% lead,and declared victory on July 3. [14] [15] She faced minimal opposition in the November general election,and handily won the race,making her the first Muslim woman and the first Bangladeshi American elected to the New York City Council and the first woman to represent the 39th district. [16] [17] The final tally showed that she had 89% of the vote. [18]
Housing
In 2022,Hanif pushed to reduce the number of housing units that could be built on a rezoned block in Gowanus,Brooklyn. The original plan proposed to allow the construction of buildings that were 95 feet and nine stories,but after Hanif's intervention,the lot only allowed for 55 feet and five stories. The lower height limit was likely to reduce the number of affordable housing units in the buildings,in part because developers are required to include affordable units when they exceed a certain size. [19]
In 2025,Hanif criticized the proposed development of two 13-story buildings along Prospect Avenue in Windsor Terrace. A quarter of the housing was initially set aside for affordable housing. [20] [21] Hanif ultimately supported the project,which was approved by the City Council in March 2025,after she negotiated a deal with the developers that reduced the buildings' size from 13 to 10 stories and increased the number of affordable units from 25% to 40% of the 250-unit total. [22]
