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Michael Gainer
Gainer in 2007
Member of the
Erie County Democratic Committee
from the Ellicott 11 district
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 25, 2024
Personal details
Born
Michael Gainer

(1973-10-10) October 10, 1973 (age 51)
Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyRestore Buffalo (2025)
Democratic (2005–present)
Other political
affiliations		Green-Rainbow (2002–2005)
Domestic partnerLena Caggiano
EducationPennsylvania State University (BS)
Occupation
  • Businessman
  • organizer
  • educator
  • politician
WebsiteOfficial website

Michael Gainer (born October 10, 1973) is an American businessman and community organizer. He is best known for founding the deconstruction companies Buffalo ReUse and ReUse Action in Buffalo, New York.

Gainer has been nationally recognized for his commitment to green advocacy and creating jobs on Buffalo's East Side. In 2012, he started The Foundry as a nonprofit business incubator for aspiring local entrepreneurs.

He was elected to the Erie County Democratic Committee as the Ellicott District 11 representative in June 2024. Currently, he is running as an Independent candidate in the 2025 Buffalo mayoral election on the Restore Buffalo line.

Early life and education

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Michael Gainer was born on October 10, 1973 in Erie, Pennsylvania, and has two younger siblings.[1] His father, Lawrence Gainer, is a farmer.[1] His mother, Barbara Gainer (née Cass), runs a daycare center and is an advocate for universal preschool.[2][3]

After attending Harbor Creek School District, he went on to graduate from Pennsylvania State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in environmental and agricultural education.[1]

Career

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Community organizing (1997–2005)

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Gainer moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1997 and became a community organizer, advocating for progressive causes.[4][5]

He worked on Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein's campaign for the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.[6] As a Green-Rainbow, Gainer was arrested in January 2003 for staging a sit-in at John Kerry's office to protest his support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[7] He organized a June 2003 protest at the Massachusetts State House in response to budget cuts made by state legislators.[8]

While in Massachusetts, he became skilled at carpentry after working jobs disassembling barns.[9] He also held teaching positions at the Chewonki Foundation and Vincent Smith School.[1]

Buffalo ReUse (2006–2010)

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I started crunching the numbers, and the total resources involved, for a city already struggling with poverty, meant that $150 million would be spent simply on taking down old structures. I knew there had to be a better way.[9]

—Michael Gainer, on founding Buffalo ReUse

Desiring to be closer to his hometown of Erie, Gainer moved to Buffalo, New York in 2005.[10] He had been working that summer for Northwest Youth Corps in Oregon, and chose Buffalo over Cleveland and Pittsburgh.[11]

Gainer founded the nonprofit deconstruction organization Buffalo ReUse in 2006 after the city announced plans to demolish 1,000 abandoned properties on an annual basis over the course of ten years.[12][13] Instead of demolition, Buffalo ReUse would instead disassemble the properties and recycle their material.[12] This led to reduced costs for the city, added jobs in the community, and the organization opening a retail store that sold salvaged material at low prices.[14] Its headquarters opened on the East Side of Buffalo inside 298 Northampton, a former commercial laundry.[15][16]

The New York Times Magazine recognized Gainer as one of their "Faces of Social Entrepreneurship" in March 2008.[17] That same year, Buffalo ReUse was profiled in an episode of Big Ideas for a Small Planet, and was nominated for the Urban Land Institute Sustainable Cities Award.[18] Gainer organized the inaugural Great Lakes ReUse Conference in November 2008, which featured presentations from renowned community activists including Jay Williams, Rick Lowe and Tyree Guyton.[13][19] Outside funding began supporting the organization, including a $650,000 Neighborhood Stabilization grant to start an apprenticeship program for residents without high school diplomas.[20]

After John R. Oishei Foundation president Robert Gioia threatened to withhold its grant from the organization, the Buffalo ReUse board of directors voted to remove Gainer as their operations manager in August 2009.[21] Following public backlash, the organization's members voted to remove the board of directors in October 2009, and Gainer was reinstated.[22][23] However, Gainer failed to meet the new board's expectations, and he was once again removed in September 2010.[23] Since Gainer owned their building, the organization was forced to relocate its headquarters to a former bakery at 296 East Ferry.[24][25] The organization abandoned deconstruction projects, and without Gainer's leadership was in heavy debt by 2011.[26]

ReUse Action and The Foundry (2011–present)

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The Foundry during Buffalo Infringement Festival, July 2013

Gainer founded ReUse Action in 2011, a for-profit deconstruction company specifically focused on providing apprenticeships.[27] Its headquarters opened on the East Side of Buffalo inside 980 Northampton, a former shoe factory.[28][29] The company was contracted in its first year to strip the Hotel Lafayette prior to its renovation, which provided jobs for twenty residents and led to several of them landing permanent careers in the field.[30]

Former Buffalo ReUse employees Caesandra Seawell and Kevin Hayes joined Gainer in 2012 to form The Foundry, a nonprofit business incubator and makerspace.[31] Built inside the former Buffalo ReUse headquarters at 298 Northampton, The Foundry supports local entrepreneurs in their quest to develop products and business plans.[32]

SUNY ESF students successfully lobbied in 2013 for ReUse Action to handle deconstruction of several homes the school was planning on demolishing so that their material could be recycled for new builds on campus.[33]

After Buffalo ReUse closed in 2022, Gainer was appointed to their board of directors and acquired the organization's name and remaining assets.[34]

Mayoral campaign (2025)

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Member organizations of Partnership for the Public Good voted the restoration of Humboldt Parkway as their number one policy initiative of 2025, yet not one elected official has supported it. It's time that elected officials rise to power that are responsive to the needs of the community, and are willing to engage with the community.[35]

—Michael Gainer, on running for mayor of Buffalo

As a registered Democrat, Gainer won the Ellicott District 11 seat on the Erie County Democratic Committee after an upset victory in June 2024.[36][37]

Gainer announced his candidacy for the 2025 Buffalo mayoral election on January 22, 2025.[38] He entered the race to support the progressive community agenda developed by the Partnership for the Public Good think tank.[35]

Sean Ryan was endorsed by the Erie County Democratic Committee in February 2025.[39] Gainer collected enough signatures for the June 2025 Democratic primary, and survived a challenge to his petition by Ryan's campaign.[40] However, attorney Jessica Kulpit successfully sued Gainer on Ryan's behalf in New York Supreme Court to invalidate his petition.[41] Kulpit works for the Erie County Democratic Committee to support their endorsed candidates, and since 2020 has fought to have ballot access removed from over a dozen political rivals.[42]

After failing to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot, Gainer is now running in the general election as an Independent candidate on the Restore Buffalo line.[43][44]

Political positions

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Scajaquada Expressway, 2015

Gainer is a member of East Side Parkways Coalition, which supports the removal of Scajaquada Expressway and restoration of Humboldt Parkway.[36] Scajaquada Expressway was built in 1952 and divided neighborhoods, while also cutting off Delaware Park from a large part of the city.[45] Buffalo ReUse still exists as a nonprofit in name, and Gainer maintains it as a pass-through entity for donations to East Side Parkways Coalition.[46]

The outgoing Byron Brown administration left Buffalo with a $50 million deficit, which Gainer plans to address as mayor by calling on governor Kathy Hochul to implement the New York State Financial Control Board.[47][48]

He believes members of the Buffalo Police Department should be held to a residency requirement, and that community responders should be used instead of police for nonviolent matters.[44]

Gainer is an advocate for municipally funded snow removal for all public sidewalks in the city of Buffalo.[49]

Personal life

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After the 2022 Buffalo shooting, Gainer and his partner Lena Caggiano started Sunfields of Buffalo, an initiative to plant thousands of sunflowers on vacant lots in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood where the tragedy occurred.[50][51]

Gainer and Caggiano co-founded the Rainbow House Community School in 2024.[52] It opened inside a former residential home at 248 Northampton, and utilizes the Waldorf education mode of teaching.[53]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Buffalo ReUse: Buffalo ReUse People". buffaloreuse.org. January 30, 2010. Archived from the original on April 1, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  2. ^ Vaillancourt, Cory (October 20, 2014). "Pre-K for PA to Hold Informational Meeting". Erie Reader. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  3. ^ "A Discussion Addressing the Challenges of Child Care with Erie County Candidates". Erie News Now. October 11, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  4. ^ "Michael Gainer – Echoing Green Fellows Directory". Echoing Green Fellows Directory. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  5. ^ Mehren, Elizabeth (July 30, 2004). "3 Protesters Arrested on Convention's Last Day". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  6. ^ Heller, Nathan J. (November 6, 2002). "On Last Day, Stein Goes Basement to Boston". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  7. ^ "Anti-war protesters arrested in Kerry's office". The Daily Free Press. February 6, 2003. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  8. ^ "Green-Rainbow Party News, Summer-Fall 2003" (PDF). Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Q&A: Michael Gainer". Dwell. April 8, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  10. ^ Williams, Deidre (January 20, 2025). "Community activist Michael Gainer joins growing list of hopefuls for Buffalo mayor". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  11. ^ Koch, Peter (July 19, 2007). "Bringing Down the House". Artvoice.
  12. ^ a b "It's Easy Being Green: ReUsing Buildings in Buffalo". Center for American Progress. March 12, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Lockwood, Charles (2009). The Green Quotient: Insights from Leading Experts on Sustainability. Urban Land Institute. pp. 171–178. ISBN 9780874201215. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  14. ^ Smith, Joanne Huist (April 28, 2012). "Art and poetry to be featured at 'living cities' symposium". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  15. ^ Koch, Peter (March 8, 2008). "Q & A Michael Gainer, Buffalo ReUse". buffalospree.com. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  16. ^ "The Foundry". PRS. November 13, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  17. ^ "Faces of Social Entrepreneurship". The New York Times Magazine. March 9, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Kryszak, Joyce (June 3, 2008). "Buffalo ReUse Building Local and National Reputation". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  19. ^ "Great Lakes ReUse Conference in Buffalo: National Gathering on ReUse of Materials and Community Action!". Challenger Community News. NYS Historic Newspapers. November 12, 2008. p. 7. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  20. ^ Kryszak, Joyce (April 22, 2009). "Buffalo ReUse Growing and Getting Greener". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  21. ^ Sommer, Mark (August 25, 2009). "Board of Buffalo ReUse faces removal Founder's backers call special meeting". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  22. ^ Kryszak, Joyce (October 14, 2009). "Buffalo ReUse is Rebuilding its Leadership". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  23. ^ a b Kryszak, Joyce (September 16, 2010). "Buffalo ReUse founder fired again". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  24. ^ Nussbaumer, Newell (April 16, 2012). "Buffalo ReUse Moves Into Kaufman's Bakery Building". Buffalo Rising. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  25. ^ "Kaufman's Bakery / Buffalo ReUse". PRS. May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  26. ^ "A vision worth saving Neighborhoods can't afford to lose the good work by Buffalo ReUse". The Buffalo News. July 10, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  27. ^ "ReUse Action". Buffalo Rising. June 7, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  28. ^ Nussbaumer, Newell (November 27, 2016). "Building Buffalo's Green Economy". Buffalo Rising. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  29. ^ "The Guild @980, 980 Northampton Street". PRS. January 6, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  30. ^ Christmann, Samantha (September 15, 2015). "ReUse in the Milk-Bone district". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  31. ^ Burke, Julia (December 13, 2012). "Building community through art and trade at The Foundry". buffalospree.com. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  32. ^ Glynn, Matt (September 20, 2019). "The Foundry: growing businesses with a creative touch". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  33. ^ Hazlitt, Shannon (January 14, 2013). "Waste not, want not: ESF students lead proposal to salvage houses". The Daily Orange. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  34. ^ "Buffalo ReUse Appoints New Board – Buffalo ReUse". Buffalo ReUse – community. jobs. resources. December 7, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  35. ^ a b "AUSTIN AUDITS: Buffalo Mayoral Candidate Michael Gainer". YouTube. March 6, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  36. ^ a b Kelly, Geoff (July 5, 2024). "Political gains for opponents of Kensington Expressway project". Investigative Post. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  37. ^ Ashley, Grant (June 26, 2024). "Prominent Democrats ousted, progressives make some gains in races for ECDC". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  38. ^ Fink, Jim (January 23, 2025). "Michael Gainer joins Democratic primary field for Buffalo mayor". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  39. ^ Mirand, Kristen (February 24, 2025). "'It was just a farce': Buffalo mayoral endorsement process draws criticism as Erie Co. Dems back Sen. Ryan". WKBW-TV. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  40. ^ Sondel, Justin (April 24, 2025). "Gainer survives petition challenge in Buffalo mayoral race; Grant gets extension in bid for Legislature seat". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  41. ^ Sondel, Justin (April 29, 2025). "Michael Gainer knocked out of Democratic primary in Buffalo mayoral race". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  42. ^ Kelly, Geoff (April 21, 2025). "Two Buffalo candidates fight for ballot access". Investigative Post. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  43. ^ Hunter-Gasperini, Kayleigh (April 29, 2025). "Michael Gainer off primary ballot for Buffalo mayor". WIVB-TV. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  44. ^ a b Sondel, Justin (May 18, 2025). "In race for Buffalo mayor, candidates differ on question of police oversight". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  45. ^ "Scajaquada Expressway". University at Buffalo. March 19, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  46. ^ "Donate BW – East Side Parkways Coalition". East Side Parkways Coalition. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  47. ^ Sondel, Justin (May 26, 2025). "Buffalo mayoral candidates tout their plans to fix city's financial woes". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  48. ^ Buckley, Eileen (March 27, 2025). "'This is the reality of the situation': City of Buffalo faces $50 million budget deficit". WKBW-TV. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  49. ^ Nussbaumer, Newell (January 14, 2025). "Michael Gainer demonstrates the need for Municipal Sidewalk Snow Clearing". Buffalo Rising. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  50. ^ Becker, Maki (August 22, 2023). "Fields of joy: Sunflowers bloom across from Tops on Jefferson Avenue". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  51. ^ Hackford, Rob (August 21, 2023). "New project sows sunflowers in East Buffalo, seeking seeds of a different kind". WGRZ. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  52. ^ "248 Northampton St for Primary/Sec. School N3R (Ell)(Hrg 9/24)". The City of Buffalo, NY. October 29, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  53. ^ "What's happening this week in Buffalo Niagara business?". The Buffalo News. September 8, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
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