Assemblymember Sam Hoyt represents west and northwest Buffalo, including Downtown, Black Rock, Riverside, University Heights, Elmwood Village, Allentown, North Buffalo, and the West Side, as well as the Town of Grand Island.


Sam’s career in public service is marked by a commitment to community-centric change centering on four guiding goals: making our state and local governments more efficient and accountable to taxpayers, revitalizing our neighborhoods, increasing our economic opportunity, and developing our waterfront.

Making Our State and Local Governments More Efficient

Sam worked closely with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to pass the New NY Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act to enable people to reduce the number of municipal entities statewide, currently totaling over 10,500. Less overlapping layers of government will mean a reduced tax burden for New York State residents and help create new opportunities for economic growth. Sam is also working hard to reduce the budget deficit in ways that end wasteful spending and control costs without raising taxes and fees. Sam is also working on initiatives to: reduce or consolidate duplicative or unnecessary entities like school districts and Industrial Development Agencies; hold public authorities accountable for their budgets and business practices; and consider holding a constitutional convention.

Revitalizing Neighborhoods

Sam authored the New York State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit which will create significant investment in the historic residential and commercial properties in Buffalo’s distressed neighborhoods. Sam supports affordable housing, thoughtful land use, building/vacant lot reuse, neighborhood redevelopment, a comprehensive plan to address Buffalo’s vacant property crisis, historic rehabilitation of buildings, and more livable, walkable neighborhoods. Sam is co-chair and co-founder of Buffalo’s Anti-Flipping Task Force, which has reduced fraudulent flipping by 51% in its first three years. Sam also worked on expansion of the New York Main Street Program to provide resources for façade improvements and streetscape enhancements in our business districts. Buffalo also received state assistance secured by Sam to complete the Joint Schools Construction project, a multi-billion dollar program to upgrade and modernize our public schools, many of which are located in the 144th District.

Creating Economic Opportunity

Sam promotes economic opportunity and a better quality of life for the district by supporting comprehensive healthcare, improved public transportation, multi-modal transportation, affordable higher education, and job training/readiness programs. Sam recently introduced the most comprehensive education reform legislation ever introduced in New York. Developing high speed rail in New York State as a way to create economic development is important to Sam, and he serves as co-chair of the Assembly Task Force on High Speed Rail. Sam is one of the most vocal proponents of charter schools, receiving national recognition for his efforts to promote educational choice. An ardent champion of human rights and equality so that everyone has a chance to succeed, Sam champions gay rights issues including same sex marriage and dignity for all students. Sam is also a well-respected advocate for a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health decisions.

Developing Our Waterfront

Sam supports enhanced waterfront access, a well-developed waterfront from the Outer Harbor and along “Buffalo’s Other Waterfront,” new/improved greenspaces, and better amenities at existing parks. Sam authored the legislation to create the Niagara River Greenway Commission, an entity that works with community stakeholders to ensure that the hundreds of millions in funds provided to the region through the New York Power Authority relicensing agreement are put to their best use. Sam is working with organizations such as Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and the Black Rock Canal Park Steering Committee to identify resources to develop the fullest recreational and economic development opportunities along our waterways. Sam has secured funding to: complete the Jesse Kregal Pathway connecting Delaware Park to the Riverwalk; create a signature entranceway to Squaw Island Park; fund a feasibility study and capital improvements to create Black Rock Canal Park; and complete the Frank Lloyd Wright Rowing Boathouse. Sam also worked with state officials to prevent the historic Chief Petty Officers’ Club from being demolished.

Sam serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Local Governments. He is also a member of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and the following committees: Ways and Means; Transportation; Energy; Tourism, Arts, and Sports Development; and Cities.

Sam is a lifelong resident of Buffalo’s West Side and a graduate of the Park School and Buffalo State College. Previous to his election to the Assembly Sam worked for U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and the Buffalo Bisons. He lives on Lafayette Avenue with Connie, his wife of 20 years, and their sons, Clayton and Griffin.

Show full bio

Hide full bio