Dorcey Applyrs

Dorcey Lanier Applyrs (born 1982) is an American politician and public health professional serving since 2026 as the 76th mayor of Albany, New York. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first Black person to hold the office and previously served as Albany's city auditor and as a member of the Albany Common Council.

A native of Washington, D.C., Applyrs moved to New York's Capital District and earned a Doctor of Public Health from the University at Albany, SUNY. She began her political career on the Albany Common Council, representing the 1st Ward after winning elections in 2013 and 2017. On the council, her legislative work included making city parks tobacco-free and addressing public safety concerns. In 2020, Applyrs became Albany's city auditor, a role she held until her mayoral campaign.

Applyrs won a four-way Democratic primary for mayor in June 2025 with 52 percent of the vote. She won the general election on November 4, 2025, and took office on January 1, 2026, succeeding Kathy Sheehan.

Early life and education Applyrs was born in Washington, D.C. in 1982. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Delaware State University in 2003. She moved to the Capital District, New York to pursue a master's degree in public health. She earned a Doctor of Public Health from the University at Albany, SUNY. She submitted her dissertation in 2014, which was titled "Corticosteroid use, emotional health and work/regular daily activities: ethnic differences in women with systemic lupus erythematosus." In 2021, Applyrs reported that the city had paid more than $1 million to settle police misconduct claims since 2015. In 2025, she commissioned a review examining the state of housing in the city from January 2015 to November 2025. The audit found that the share of the city's young professional population had declined by 4%, while the senior population had increased by roughly the same amount. It also identified an overall shortage of approximately 6,350 housing units, primarily affecting households earning less than $35,000 and more than $75,000 annually. Then-incumbent Mayor Kathy Sheehan responded to the audit, stating that "inclusionary zoning is not having its intended effect" and highlighting concerns about "higher rents, no new-market housing construction" and the need for "rehabilitation of our vacant housing."

Reflecting on her tenure as auditor, Applyrs noted that the city worked with a third-party law firm to conduct its fiscal audits. She said she did not believe she had been kept in the dark about the potential risks to Albany's budget, but pointed to the city code, which did not grant the auditor access to certain relevant data.

2025 mayoral election Applyrs was the first candidate to declare her bid for mayor, announcing in November 2023. Applyrs acknowledged the frustration felt by hundreds and said the city would be waiving the fines associated with noncompliance, though not refunding drivers who paid tow yard retrieval fees.

In a news conference on April 22 at the City of Albany Department of General Services headquarters, Mayor Applyrs announced that 7,930 potholes had been filled in a "pothole blitz" that had been ordered on April 2.

On April 25, the city's Advisory Council on Nightlife Economy, which had been created by Applyrs in the first days of her administration, submitted preliminary recommendations to revitalize dining and entertainment in the city. The report suggested increased street lighting, improved parking affordability, a citywide nightlife brand, and addressing police staffing shortages.

2026 fiscal crisis In the $260 billion state budget proposal for 2026, Albany ranked last among major cities to receive state aid with $57.3 million received the prior year while carrying the highest tax levy in New York. Applyrs appeared before a joint legislative budget hearing on February 11 to request addition state funding to fund city services without further taxing residents, noting that Albany's tax rate is 25% higher than rates in Syracuse and Rochester. She added that current levels of support for municipal workers would become "increasingly untenable" without more funding, noting that half of all properties in the city are tax-exempt due to state ownership.

On March 20, 2026, Administrative Services Commissioner Miriam Dixon issued a memo to all city departments and divisions to call for immediate cuts to city expenditures, including pausing all hiring actions, halting spending on overtime and travel of city officials, and unnecessary equipment purchases.

Prior to the public acknowledgement of the $37 million fiscal crisis, Times Union reported city officials receiving salary increases and the creation of new administrative positions in the weeks before Applyrs' news conference. In a statement, the mayor's office noted that they were operating 21% under the adopted budget and all decisions on salary and hiring were made before the deficit situation was discovered.

On May 1, Mayor Applyrs revised the city's 2025 budget deficit from $15 million to $19.6 million after further review of the 2025 spending plan, attributing the inflated amount to flawed 2025 and 2026 budgets, outstanding invoices, and a lack of oversight during the prior administration. Additionally, Applyrs said the city identified $5.3 million in savings. By August 2026, subsequent financial projections estimated budget gaps of $22.18 million for the remainder of 2026 and $33.3 million in 2027.

Personal life Applyrs is married to Don Applyrs.