Shaping the future of New York’s state’s affordable housing

At a time when New York City mayoral candidates are submitting affordable housing plans produced by artificial intelligence, City & State will fill the topical conversation space with real experts in the field next Thursday at its 2025 Affordable Housing Forum. 

The event, to be held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan, attracts a cross-over audience of real estate professionals seeking to focus on issues facing non-governmental organizations (NGOs), developers, and government agencies building homes for low income New Yorkers.  

“This year’s event will present discussions dedicated to the needs of affordable housing across the state’s diverse regions as growing populations in cities and counties are struggling to find secure, stable living options,” said City & State Editor-in-Chief Ralph R. Ortega. “We expect many people will want to listen to what our industry leaders  – including government officials like Blanca Lopez, commissioner of planning for Westchester County, have to say.”

Keynote speaker RuthAnne Visnauskas, commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal will address the status of her agency’s work to ensure New Yorkers have affordable places to live. Her comments will be followed by three panels:

• The first, “Affordable housing trends at the state level,” will highlight innovative approaches to addressing the housing crisis, such as new zoning reforms, affordable housing financing models, and community-driven projects. The discussion will focus on how state policies are shaping the availability and accessibility of affordable housing, and how these trends can inform future strategies for creating sustainable, equitable housing solutions throughout the state.
• The second panel, “Affordable housing solutions for New York's cities and counties,” will address critical challenges in city affordable housing markets, including increasing rents, income disparities, and a scarcity of affordable housing options. The panel will also delve into possible remedies, such as policy changes, zoning adjustments, and new funding approaches to expand the supply of affordable housing. Expect a lively exchange about the pros and cons of bringing back single room occupancy housing.
• The final afternoon panel “The affordable housing construction pipeline,” highlights the current state of the affordable housing construction pipeline in New York.  This discussion will emphasize the Pro-Housing Community Program, current projects, evolving trends, and the significance of public-private collaborations in expediting affordable housing development statewide. Attendees will gain important perspectives on the strategies and innovations fueling this pipeline and understand initiatives addressing the increasing need for affordable housing in New York's dynamic environment.

Speakers include Robert Holbrook, executive director of New York City’s Get Stuff Built; Peter Florey, president of New York State Builders’ Association; Pierina Sanchez, New York City Council member and chair of the Committee on Housing and Building; Michael Reed, acting head of large buildings at New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), among others.

For more information about the forum, visit the events section on City & State’s home page. Tickets are still available and don’t miss City & State’s next event, “Rx affordability legislative forum,” a virtual discussion sponsored by AARP on May 14.