City Council land use chair David Greenfield to step down at year’s end

City Councilman David Greenfield, chair of the powerful Committee on Land Use, won’t seek reelection this year.

The 38-year-old said he accepted a job as the CEO and executive director of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“I love being a councilman, it’s wonderful to be in the thick of things,” he said. “But part of the purpose of serving the public is to try to figure out where you can make the greatest impact.”

Greenfield is a moderate voice on the council and one of its most influential lawmakers. As chair of the land use committee, he oversaw numerous rezoning efforts.

His term runs through Dec. 31 and he said he plans to stay on the council until then, but it’s not clear who will run for his seat. His departure is sure to shake up the 51-member body, which could look significantly different next year under a new leader after Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is term-limited out.

Speculation about Greenfield’s political future began to swirl in May when it was revealed that he had opened a separate state campaign account that had raised large sums from real estate investors including Thor Equities’ Joseph Sitt [TRDataCustom].

Greenfield, an attorney, represents a district in Brooklyn that includes the neighborhoods of Ocean Parkway, Midwood, Borough Park and Bensonhurst. [WSJ] – Rich Bockmann