An attorney, Garodnick practiced as a litigator at the New York law firm of
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison where he focused on securities litigation and internal investigations of companies. While there, he represented the Partnership for New York City in the successful
Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit regarding public school funding., and same-sex couples seeking marriage equality in New York State. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a law clerk to Judge
Colleen McMahon of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He served as a Member of the New York City Council for 12 years, President of Riverside Park Conservancy, and as Director of the Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission.
New York City Council Garodnick was elected to New York City Council in 2005, winning 63 percent of the vote in the general election and defeating both the Republican and Libertarian candidates. In the five-way Democratic primary that year he won 59% of the vote. He won reelection in 2009 and 2013. During his twelve-year tenure,
The New York Times praised Garodnick for his “independent streak” and noted that he had “distinguished himself in the fight to preserve middle-class housing.”
The Wall Street Journal has called him “smart and fair” and POLITICO New York noted that he is known as a “policy wonk” who has “bucked the establishment." In 2017,
City & State called Garodnick a “no-nonsense negotiator.” In 2008, when a developer proposed rezoning the largest stretch of undeveloped, privately owned land in Manhattan, Garodnick was able to adjust the plan to reduce the height of the towers, provide for acres of gardens and a school, as well as a $10 million contribution from the developer for a future pedestrian bridge over the
FDR Drive. In 2015, when the de Blasio administration and Council Member
Carlos Menchaca were at a logjam over the $115 million redevelopment of the
South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Garodnick helped broker an agreement between both sides. Garodnick is best known for his work fighting for his childhood home in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, where he spearheaded the largest housing preservation deal in New York City history in 2015, with 5,000 units for middle-class families. He wrote a book on the subject, called "Saving Stuyvesant Town: How One Community Defeated the Worst Real Estate Deal in History," published by Three Hills Press, an imprint of Cornell University Press. He also negotiated the East Midtown Rezoning in 2017, covering an 80 block area in midtown Manhattan, which the Daily News said worked "stunningly well" almost immediately began to generate new commercial space, and to deliver significant public improvements to the area. Garodnick's last term as councilman ended on December 31, 2017, when he was succeeded by
Keith Powers. Garodnick authored and passed over 60 laws during his tenure on the New York City Council.
New York City Council Speaker campaign After exploring a race for
New York City Comptroller., Garodnick instead ran for re-election in District 4 and for City Council Speaker. Garodnick was endorsed for Speaker by the Democratic Organizations of Queens, Bronx and Brooklyn, as well as the editorial board of
The New York Times, which cited his independence and support for middle class housing.
City Planning On February 7, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Garodnick as Director of the Department of City Planning, and Chair of the City Planning Commission. He led the administration’s ambitious land use agenda, which included three City of Yes initiatives—one for the environment, one for economic development, and one for housing—all of which were approved by the New York City Council. The economic development initiative was the largest expansion of manufacturing space in 60 years. The housing initiative, which allowed for additional housing throughout the city, including office conversions, transit oriented development, affordable housing bonuses and parking reforms, is expected to deliver 82,000 units of housing over 15 years, was the largest pro-housing zoning reform in the city's history. In February 2024, Garodnick was nominated by Mayor Adams to represent the city as a board member of the
MTA. Garodnick also advanced 5 neighborhood plans, near the new Metro-North Stations coming to the Bronx, on a key stretch of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, in Manufacturing Districts in Midtown Manhattan, and Long Island City and downtown Jamaica in Queens. He successfully approved the Green Fast Track initiative which eliminates red tape and streamlines the environmental review process for small- and medium-sized all-electric residential developments. In July 2023, Garodnick was named in the top ten of City & State Newspaper's Real Estate Power 100., and in February 2025, number twenty in City & State's Power 100 in New York City government. On January 8, 2026, Garodnick announced that he would be stepping down from his position at the Department of City Planning. ==Personal life==