Hochul's Fire Island restoration and HIV access gains share the same logic, Tristan Schukraft says

Tristan Schukraft, the founder of MISTR and Tryst Hospitality, says two recent New York policy choices point to the same conclusion: communities endure when leaders invest in both place and people.

In an opinion piece, Schukraft praised Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment to restoring Fire Island’s coastline after severe erosion and extreme weather threatened parts of the beach. He said the state’s partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers gave residents, business owners and investors greater confidence in the long-term future of Fire Island Pines, one of New York’s best-known LGBTQ+ destinations.

Schukraft wrote that the work did more than protect homes and businesses. In his view, it signaled that New York understands the value of preserving Fire Island as a cultural and community anchor.

He tied that argument to HIV prevention and care, saying the state has also moved to expand access to PrEP, strengthen protections for people seeking HIV prevention and treatment, and preserve telehealth policies that make care easier to reach across New York.

Schukraft, who said MISTR serves more than 800,000 patients nationwide and provides care to roughly one in five people on PrEP in the United States, argued that the main barrier to ending HIV is not science but access. He said telehealth and lower-friction care can help more people get tested, start prevention and stay connected to treatment.

He described the coastal restoration and HIV policy changes as parallel investments. One protects a place that has shaped generations of LGBTQ+ people, he wrote, while the other protects the health of the people who gather there.

Schukraft said the two efforts together help ensure that future generations inherit a stronger, healthier and more connected community.

What Schukraft said about Fire Island

According to Schukraft, erosion had put the island’s protective dunes at risk, raising concerns about the future of the shoreline and the businesses that depend on it. He said the state intervention brought certainty at a moment when that uncertainty could have discouraged further investment.

He added that the restoration helped create the conditions for new spending on Fire Island businesses, events, entertainment and infrastructure, which he said would support jobs and tourism.

What he said about HIV prevention

Schukraft wrote that PrEP is more than 99 percent effective at preventing HIV, and that people living with HIV who achieve viral suppression cannot transmit the virus to their partners.

He said the remaining challenge is making care easier to access, especially in systems where stigma, logistics and privacy concerns can keep people from seeking help. In his view, New York has recognized that reality through policies aimed at expanding access and protecting telehealth.

The piece was published as a Pride reflection, with Schukraft arguing that preserving Fire Island and ending HIV are both about ensuring a stronger future for LGBTQ+ communities.

Who wrote the opinion

Schukraft is the founder of the telehealth company MISTR and Tryst Hospitality, whose properties include a new Fire Island location.