Who's Who
The 2026 Who’s Who in Affordable Housing
New Yorkers creating and preserving housing for low- or middle-income households.
City & State presents the 2026 Who's Who in Affordable Housing. Juliana Sohn; The Arker Companies; Mr. Solwazi Olusola
There’s no single policy solution when it comes to easing the housing crisis in New York. Instead, there’s an assortment of policies and programs aimed at addressing the severe shortage of affordable units. Incentives for developers, subsidies for tenants and limits on rental increases have already been in place for years. In New York City, policymakers recently revamped the zoning process to spur more development and have attracted private investment for dilapidated public housing properties, while the new mayor campaigned on freezing the rent for rent-stabilized apartments. State lawmakers added funding for housing vouchers, while the Hochul administration is looking to streamline the environmental review process to speed up projects. Even the White House is weighing in, with President Donald Trump trying to block large investors from buying up single-family homes.
All of these tactics – and more – may be needed to truly create an adequate supply of affordable housing in New York. City & State’s inaugural Who’s Who in Affordable Housing, written and researched in partnership with journalist Lon Cohen, showcases the government officials, developers, nonprofit leaders, advocates, attorneys, advisers and activists who are doing all they can to meet the demand.
Abad, Ron
Ron Abad brings three decades of leadership to his work guiding Community Housing Innovations, a $125 million nonprofit organization that has 700 employees and provides such services as homeless shelter operations, affordable and supportive housing, homeownership services and permanent housing across New York City, Long Island, Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. The organization is headquartered at its office in White Plains. Abad also serves on the boards of Nonprofit Westchester and the Human Services Council. He previously held executive leadership roles at Acacia Network Housing, Urban Pathways and the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
Bacchus, Simon
Simon Bacchus has helped create or preserve thousands of affordable housing units in New York City’s outer boroughs, from distressed multifamily sites to large-scale public housing rehabilitation. The former New York City Housing Development Corp. executive has been driving affordable housing development at The Arker Companies since 2013, working alongside Allan Arker, Alex Arker and Daniel Moritz at the family-owned firm. He oversees over $1 billion in affordable housing rehabilitation projects, including a nearly $600 million rehab of 14 New York City Housing Authority buildings in the northwest Bronx.
Barbosa, Adina
Beginning as a front-line social worker and moving into increasingly larger roles over more than 25 years, Adina Barbosa has helped shape how supportive housing serves New Yorkers facing homelessness and mental illness. At the Center for Urban Community Services, Barbosa oversees more than 30 programs serving roughly 10,000 people across 3,500 units, reporting a 98% housing retention rate. She has led the launch of more than 1,300 supportive housing units and has integrated primary care and employment services directly into housing to strengthen long-term stability and economic mobility for residents.
Barth, Richard
Richard Barth brings decades of land use and housing policy experience inside and outside government to Brown & Weinraub, the state’s top lobbying firm. During his time as executive director of the New York City Department of City Planning, Barth managed a 280-person agency and a $24 million annual budget while advancing rezonings, expanding mixed-income housing. He later spent seven years at lobbying firm Capalino, guiding affordable and mixed-income projects through approvals before joining Brown & Weinraub in 2025. He serves on the board of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council.
Barton-Richardson, Valerie
Valerie Barton-Richardson leads one of New York City’s largest affordable and supportive housing nonprofits after three decades rising through the ranks. A former teacher who grew up in public housing in Harlem and the Bronx, she brings lived experience to an organization serving close to 100,000 New Yorkers annually. She has helped develop more than 100 programs backed by more than $150 million in annual funding, expanding shelter and eviction prevention, as well as pairing housing stability with job training, health care and legal services. She also oversees its development arm, CAMBA Housing Ventures.
Batus, Jesse
Jesse Batus manages one of the region’s most active affordable housing pipelines, guiding more than $656 million in investment and over 2,000 homes delivered across New York City, Westchester and the Capital Region. Since joining The Community Builders in 2007, Batus has risen through its ranks while leading major preservation and senior housing initiatives, with a community-centered approach. His portfolio includes a recently launched New York City Housing Authority rehabilitation of more than 500 homes in East Harlem and the planned redevelopment of Willow at the Ridgeway in Yonkers, an all-electric senior community.
Bliagos, Stacy
Stacy Bliagos has guided HANAC through a period of expansion across affordable housing and social services. A former attorney and senior official in New York City’s social services system, Bliagos now oversees five affordable housing buildings totaling roughly 650 units, along with property management and workforce and family programs. Her tenure includes HANAC’s first approved development outside New York City in White Plains, a 141-unit senior residence, as well as Ikos Senior Living in Astoria, Queens. She has also advanced large-scale senior housing such as the 150-unit Garden Towers development in the Bronx.
Blodgett, Will
Since founding Tredway in 2021, Will Blodgett has assembled a portfolio spanning thousands of apartments, coupling long-term preservation with targeted construction from the Bronx to Brooklyn. The multiphase Concourse Village East plan will rehabilitate existing homes while adding hundreds of new affordable and supportive units, and the stabilization of Ocean Park Apartments will extend affordability for decades. Earlier in his career, Blodgett oversaw the acquisition and development of more than 25,000 units nationwide and was a special adviser to the New York City Housing Authority. He is active in housing policy through national and local board roles.
Bohrer-Yardley, John
John Bohrer-Yardley serves as of counsel at Woods Oviatt Gilman, where he was named co-chair of the Affordable Housing Practice Group in early 2025. He has played a central role in structuring and closing more than 100 developments backed by federal low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bond financing, supporting $1.65 billion in new construction and preservation of affordable housing projects across New York state. His work connects developers, investors and public agencies, with an emphasis on guiding complex transactions to completion all while expanding long-term housing options statewide.
Bolger, David
David Bolger brings a laborer’s perspective to affordable housing construction, shaped by decades in the industry ranks. Since becoming business manager of the 17,000-member Mason Tenders’ District Council of Greater New York and Long Island in 2023, Bolger has helped expand labor standards beyond union shops, prioritizing education and protections for nonunion workers. Under his leadership, the union built a coalition of clergy, community groups and labor partners to pass the Construction Justice Act last year. The law sets a new wage floor for publicly funded affordable housing while expanding pathways for the New York City Housing Authority and low-income residents into safer, better-paying work.
Borges, Michael
Michael Borges has drawn attention to rural housing in New York, a policy area often overlooked in statewide debates. Since coming on as executive director in 2020, he has expanded the Rural Housing Coalition of New York’s role as both a training hub and a force in Albany. He has launched leadership and board education programs while also advocating for increased funding for nonprofit housing organizations that are part of the state’s Rural Preservation Program and other rural-specific tools, such as the Small Rental Development Initiative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 515 Rental Housing Preservation Program.
Bozorg, Leila
In her new role under New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Leila Bozorg will craft the city’s housing plan and navigate City Hall’s relationship with a skeptical real estate sector. She is expected to pair housing development with stronger tenant protections, rental assistance and efforts to move more residents from shelters into permanent housing. Her expanded portfolio builds on her previous role as the city’s executive director for housing, in which she focused on advancing affordable developments. She also helped shape voter-approved changes that expanded City Hall’s authority to advance housing projects.
Burgos, Kenny
Since taking the helm of the New York Apartment Association in 2024 as its inaugural leader following the consolidation of two of New York City’s largest apartment owner organizations, Kenny Burgos has positioned the organization as a voice for owners and operators responsible for nearly a million rent-stabilized and affordable apartments. Burgos, who once served alongside Zohran Mamdani in the Assembly, bridges policy and practice, engaging with the public on how rent regulations, operating costs and access to capital shape the long-term financial and physical health of apartment buildings.
Cain Lawson, Andrea
Andrea Cain Lawson has played a central role in expanding housing across New York City through the nonprofit Goddard Riverside. She recently helped bring 68 housing units online, with 180 more planned on the Upper West Side and 72 in the Bronx, many serving people formerly on the streets. These projects pair permanent housing with on-site services to help residents transition from homelessness. Cain Lawson also oversees housing operations, facilities and social services across the organization, helping standardize practices to ensure consistent support for residents.
Chase, Arlo
Arlo Chase has led real estate preservation and redevelopment at Services for the UnderServed, a New York City social services nonprofit. He has expanded the nonprofit’s role as a developer of affordable and supportive housing, which currently has over 2,500 units in development. Recent developments include a 326-unit affordable and supportive housing development in the Bronx and a 452-unit affordable and supportive housing development in East New York, Brooklyn. Earlier roles at the state Housing Finance Agency and in private development inform his approach to policy and execution.
Cohen, Cindy
With nearly two decades advising public agencies, Cindy Cohen has built a career translating policy initiatives into workable housing systems. At KPMG, she works with state and local governments on housing subsidies and development pipelines, helping agencies move people more efficiently into permanent housing. Cohen is known for putting residents and front-line staff in the center of reform efforts, all while focusing on how the system actually works for the people it serves. In January, she was named to the Partnership for New York City’s 2026 class of David Rockefeller Fellows, a one-year program for business leaders.
Cook, Peter
The Rev. Peter Cook has helped churches explore how underused properties can support affordable housing without compromising their mission. He played a central role in launching the Interfaith Affordable Housing Collaborative, and over the past decade he has pressed for tools like the state Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act. Cook also helped garner support from Trinity Church in Manhattan and the state Attorney General’s Office to help congregations assess, plan and prepare for affordable housing development. He also backed the City of Yes plan in New York City as a way to reduce zoning barriers for faith sites.
Crimmins, Rebecca Gillman
Since arriving at the Institute for Community Living in 2021, Rebecca Gillman Crimmins has expanded the organization’s development pipeline from roughly 100 units to more than 1,000, while strengthening leasing and asset management functions to support long-term residency. The organization now provides housing for more than 2,500 New Yorkers, with 183 new units at The Atlantic in East New York, Brooklyn, for people exiting shelters. Earlier in her career, she helped finance more than $1.9 billion in affordable housing at New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
Dissanayake, Tania
After early work in the state Senate and in private practice, Tania Dissanayake joined New York City government in 2016, advancing legislative priorities for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development as well as the New York City Housing Authority while coordinating intergovernmental strategy across dozens of city agencies tied to housing, land use and enforcement. Appointed as the state’s deputy secretary for housing in 2022, she plays a central role in shaping the Hochul administration’s agenda, including updated housing tax incentives, expanded affordable housing funding and strengthened the Housing Access Voucher Program.
Fabian, Grace
Grace Fabian oversees Morgan Stanley’s low-income housing tax credit portfolio, with $3.5 billion in equity commitments across hundreds of properties nationwide. She helped build the internal structure and deal pipeline that allowed the platform to significantly increase in investment volume over time, including transactions others exited during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fabian, who serves on the associate board of the supportive housing nonprofit Project Renewal and on LISC New York’s Local Advisory Committee, helps to bring institutional capital experience to front-line affordable housing operations and citywide affordable housing strategy.
Fee, Rachel
Since 2014, Rachel Fee has helped position the New York Housing Conference, a leading advocate for housing reform in New York state, as a go-to source for data-driven policy. Its annual housing report showed New York City produced modestly more affordable units in 2024, though gains were uneven across City Council districts. Fee has said that frustration over rising rents and limited housing choice is pushing residents to look out of state. Fee’s organization also advocated successfully for changes via Charter Revision Commission housing ballot measures that aim to spur more affordable housing development.
Fletcher-Blake, Debbian
Debbian Fletcher-Blake has overseen expansion of her organization’s housing footprint in the Bronx, pairing new affordable units with an innovative supportive services model developed with city agencies. Under her leadership, VIP Community Services has expanded its housing stock from 515 to 640 units over the past year – with 99 more coming online soon – widening access to stable housing across New York City. Fletcher-Blake’s career path has spanned front-line care, health system operations and policy advising, shaped by decades in various roles at Care for the Homeless, Morris Heights Health Center and other multisite safety net providers.
Florey, Peter
Peter Florey has delivered more than 3,000 affordable homes since he co-founded The D&F Development Group in 2002, often stepping into projects others could not untangle. That persistence was on display at Matinecock Court, a limited-equity affordable housing community on Long Island, where the company took over in 2021 and carried a 1978 proposal through to completion after decades of litigation and opposition. He’s also the immediate past president of the New York State Builders Association, a trade association that represents the industry in Albany, and a current member of the state’s Public Subsidy Board.
Gardiner, Warren
As Airbnb’s senior public policy lead in New York, Warren Gardiner has distributed more than $3 million to New York City and state community organizations focused on affordable housing while also navigating regulatory issues for the vacation rental website. He has also emphasized Airbnb’s role in allowing families to earn money to help them stay in their homes. Previously, Gardiner held senior roles across city agencies and state government, most recently as chief of staff and senior adviser to the commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services.
Gates, Moses
Moses Gates has become a force in New York City housing, helping advance the City of Yes zoning overhaul and playing a central role in neighborhood rezonings in Long Island City, Queens, midtown Manhattan and Jamaica, Queens, through testimony and public education. Gates has helped produce voter guides tied to charter revisions and led research on housing affordability and climate resilience. Earlier, he worked at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and as a nonprofit affordable housing developer. When the press needs a clear read on housing, Gates is often the call.
Gottlieb, Brett J.
Brett J. Gottlieb guides owners and developers through New York City’s ever-evolving housing incentive regulations, from the successor to the former 421-a tax incentive to conversion programs that unlock housing from underused buildings. As the fiscal year 2025 state budget reshaped housing rules, Gottlieb, a partner in Herrick’s Real Estate Department, helped clients understand how the new laws apply to real estate projects, advising on eligibility, rent stabilization and compliance details that often determine whether projects move forward.
Grady, Victoria
Victoria Grady has been instrumental in the legal structuring of affordable housing finance for decades, building up a practice lenders rely on for complex, tax credit-driven deals. She leads a team advising financial institutions on construction loans, bond financings and other secured transactions tied to community development. Over the past year, her financing counsel supported the construction and rehabilitation of more than 6,500 rental units statewide. Grady is also a member of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing and a member of her firm’s Governing Committee.
Gray, Annemarie
Arriving at Open New York in 2022, Annemarie Gray quickly turned a lean advocacy shop into a central force in housing politics, scaling staff fivefold while helping advance the City of Yes zoning overhaul and championing various rezonings once considered untouchable. Gray, who recently served on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Housing Transition Committee, used her experience as a former City Hall land use adviser to lift the city’s decades-old floor area ratio cap and push ballot reforms that fast-track affordable housing approvals. Gray calls the status quo of restrictive zoning and underproduction of housing something that New Yorkers “can’t afford.”
Halm, Baaba
Baaba Halm guides Enterprise Community Partners’ New York work, focusing on affordable housing policy and homeless prevention. She helped advance the 2025 Housing Access Voucher Program pilot, aligning with her contention that “the federal government is not providing enough housing support for tenants.” She also backed the restoration of New York state funding for fair housing enforcement, while expanding mobility support through the Making Moves program across nine counties. Her background includes senior roles at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and staff roles with the New York City Council.
Harrington, Kieran
Under Kieran Harrington’s leadership, RiseBoro Community Partnership brought more than 1,000 affordable homes to market in 2025, with thousands more advancing through construction and predevelopment across New York City. His signature work includes the city’s first permanent hotel-to-affordable housing conversion under the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act, structured for long-term nonprofit ownership and management. Harrington has also extended his influence beyond development, co-authoring a blueprint urging the Mamdani administration to match ambitious housing goals with process fixes that move eligible families into apartments faster.
Hedigan, Cal
Since her arrival at Community Access 26 years ago, Cal Hedigan has built a career in mental health housing. Hedigan rose through the ranks of the supportive housing and social services nonprofit, and, in her time as chief operating officer, oversaw the completion of more than 1,000 apartments and a $300 million real estate portfolio. Named CEO in 2019, she is now leading a 2,200-unit development pipeline, including major Bronx projects and an East Village, Manhattan, development, pairing new housing with services, from crisis support to job training.
Hu, Karen
Karen Hu oversees a multibillion-dollar portfolio spanning preservation, new construction and New York City Housing Authority conversions. Her recent work also includes a nearly $1 billion modernization of Linden Plaza in Brooklyn, the largest NYCHA Permanent Affordability Commitment Together conversion at Edenwald Houses in the Bronx and a 200-bed women’s intake shelter in East New York, Brooklyn. Previously, she spent seven years at Phipps Houses and also had stints at The Hudson Companies and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Her work is shaped by her experience growing up in New York City.
Hutson, Karim
Karim Hutson has delivered $1.5 billion in mixed-income and affordable development since founding Genesis Companies more than two decades ago. Under Hutson's leadership, Genesis became a leading New York City Housing Authority Permanent Affordability Commitment Together partner, working on the rehabilitation of 660 units at the Frederick Samuel Apartments and the Rangel Houses conversion. In discussing industry conditions, Hutson has warned that “uncontrollable expenses, whether it’s water, sewer, insurance, utilities,” continue to strain the economics of rent-stabilized and public housing. He previously raised concerns that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed rent policies would further stress already fragile operating models.
Kavanagh, Brian
State Sen. Brian Kavanagh has been a champion of affordable housing, from six terms in the Assembly to chairing the state Senate’s Housing, Construction and Community Development Committee since 2019. Kavanagh helped advance sweeping tenant protections that strengthened rent regulation and limited evictions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he authored New York’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium and helped deliver large-scale rental and homeowner assistance. In Albany budget negotiations, he has pushed to balance tenant safeguards with increased housing supply. He recently announced that he will not run for reelection in his lower Manhattan district.
Kawitzky, Simon
Simon Kawitzky brings public sector sensibility shaped by senior roles across housing agencies to his work at Volunteers of America-Greater New York, which he joined in December. Previously, at the New York City Housing Authority, he played a central role in the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program, unlocking $5 billion for capital repairs. Earlier, at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, he contributed to the city’s first Assessment of Fair Housing. Now, he guides development and asset strategy for housing that serves more than 5,500 people every night while advancing plans for 1,700 new housing units.
Kelly, Bryan
Bryan Kelly has spent two decades developing and advancing affordable housing projects across New York City, overseeing over 5,000 homes with 4,000 more in the works. Kelly’s recent work includes Monitor Point in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with 460 permanently affordable units; Arras in Jamaica, Queens, a predominantly income-based development; and the 1,132-unit Gotham Point in Long Island City, Queens, with 75% affordable units. His portfolio also includes proposed transit-oriented development near the Westbury Long Island Rail Road station. Kelly helps steer housing policy through his role on the New York Housing Conference’s executive committee.
Kenniff, Vlada
Vlada Kenniff is building one of the country’s largest public housing reinvestment efforts, advancing upgrades across nearly 25,000 New York City Housing Authority apartments through a federal project-based Section 8 funding structure that finances large-scale repairs while keeping homes public. She has guided the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust since 2023, helping position sites like Nostrand Houses and the Bronx River Addition for millions of dollars in major repairs. Kenniff, who grew up near Nostrand Houses, says rebuilding public housing is imperative “so that our residents and New Yorkers can take pride in their homes again.”
Lang, Russell
Russell Lang leads a faith-based housing platform that blends large-scale housing with support services. Lang oversees roughly 3,000 affordable homes with a nine-person team, bringing discipline to Catholic Homes New York’s mission-driven work. He has developed over 2,100 residential units and over 100,000 square feet of commercial and community space. Recent milestones include financing a 191-unit Senior Affordable Rental Apartments development on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and advancing a 230-unit Bronx project under the New York City 15/15 supportive housing program for youth aging out of foster care.
Lazarus, Laura
Laura Lazarus has spent 30 years working the affordable housing puzzle from every side, spanning nonprofits, government and finance. With Anthos Home, Lazarus has developed a hands-on approach that moves voucher holders from shelter to permanent housing more quickly, describing it as a “matchmaking service” between landlords with available units and tenants who need them. A partnership between the organization and the New York City Administration for Children’s Services focuses on young adults leaving foster care, cutting typical voucher waits to roughly four months. Since its launch in June 2023, the organization has housed more than 1,000 people with 100% retention.
Levy, Dina
In January, Dina Levy was appointed commissioner of New York City’s massive housing agency, bringing experience in tenant organizing and public enforcement. Beginning at the nonprofit UHAB, Levy led preservation efforts citywide before moving into government. She later focused on housing enforcement at the state Attorney General’s Office and went on to oversee statewide homeownership, finance, and community development at state Homes and Community Renewal. Now overseeing the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, Levy is rolling out citywide “rental ripoff” hearings aimed at exposing abusive conditions and hidden fees.
Lewis, Katrell
Katrell Lewis advises affordable housing and land use clients navigating New York’s political realities. Before joining Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies in 2023, Lewis made his mark at Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County, where he advanced bipartisan reforms to the state’s homeownership program and helped unlock $400 million in statewide funding. He helped secure the largest funding increase – $17.8 million – in nearly 40 years for the Supportive Housing Network of New York. He also worked with the Black Legislative Task Force to steer $8 million in legislative funding to housing organizations statewide.
Lopez, Blanca
Blanca Lopez brings a sense of urgency to housing policy, having herself grown up in overcrowded, substandard housing as a Peruvian immigrant. Since assuming leadership of Westchester County’s Planning Department in 2023, Lopez has directed $90 million through the county’s Housing Flex Fund to help create around 1,250 affordable homes; stabilized public housing with $7 million in targeted support for low-income residents; and launched a $3 million landlord-tenant assistance program to preserve rent levels. She also modernized the county’s HomeSeeker portal, which has drawn more than 9,500 registrants since it was revamped.
Lynch, Joseph
Joseph Lynch joined Nixon Peabody in 2003 as the law firm’s first associate focused on affordable housing and went on to help expand the practice into one of New York City’s largest legal teams. Known for navigating public and private financing, Lynch advises on complex development and preservation transactions. He has worked on Mitchell-Lama policies over the years, and he recently handled transactions pairing institutional investors with nonprofit owners. He also serves in leadership roles at the Citizens Housing & Planning Council and the New York City Housing Partnership.
Morris, Morissa
Morissa Morris focuses on the work of bringing clean energy upgrades to New York City’s affordable housing stock. At Kinetic Communities Consulting, Morris helps property decision-makers move projects from start to finish, widening participation in programs that can lower costs for lower-income building residents. She also screened more than 2,200 properties for the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice’s NYC Accelerator to identify viable upgrades. She also leads outreach for the New York City Housing Authority’s Clean Energy Academy, which has been expanded to include internships, employer recruitment and participant support.
Nelson, Matthew
Matthew Nelson took the reins of Better Community Neighborhoods Inc. in 2024 with a mandate to stabilize the organization and expand its reach across Schenectady and Montgomery counties. Nelson has increased program funding to more than $25 million and nearly tripled the organization’s staff. He has focused on neighborhood reinvestment through the Vacant Rental Improvement Program in order to bring small, underused rentals back into service. His background includes serving as deputy commissioner and president of the Office of Community Renewal at state Homes and Community Renewal.
O’Connor, Kevin
In 2025, Kevin O’Connor expanded RUPCO’s role in the Hudson Valley by launching a program to help low- and moderate-income homeowners build legal accessory dwelling units on their own properties. His recent work draws from a record focused on housing and community development, much of it in his role leading RUPCO since 2002. He has helped develop more than 550 affordable homes, administered rental assistance programs and spearheaded Energy Square, New York state’s first net-zero affordable housing development.
O’Shea, Gwen
Gwen O’Shea has led Community Development Long Island since 2017, guiding the critical regional housing organization through expansion and rising demand. Under her leadership, the organization administers federal Section 8 housing vouchers, supporting thousands of residents in Nassau and Suffolk counties. She helped launch the Long Island Zoning Atlas in 2023 to expose barriers to multifamily housing, while advancing projects that range from hard-won rental infill like the 33-unit Baldwin Commons to large-scale, multiyear downtown investments, such as the 228-unit 159 Main in Hempstead.
Ores, Tonya
Tonya Ores brings decades of institutional knowledge as she leads Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City. Ores returned to the organization in 2024 after leading its former Brooklyn affiliate, which she established as an independent organization. In Brooklyn, Ores helped scale homeownership, financial education and preservation services for low- and moderate-income residents. In her current role, she helped secure a $1 million, multiyear partnership with Airbnb to fund homeowner repairs and advance housing stability across the city. Ores is board president of the Neighborhood Preservation Coalition of New York State.
Peale, Christie
Christie Peale has strongly positioned the Center for New York City Neighborhoods, a housing nonprofit created in response to the subprime mortgage crisis as a permanent statewide housing program administrator, carrying out the state Attorney General’s Office’s Homeowner Protection Program that delivers legal and housing services to homeowners facing foreclosure and displacement. Over the past year, Peale’s work has centered on securing permanent state funding for homeowner protections and closing out the Homeowner Assistance Fund, which helped more than 17,000 households avoid foreclosure. Over a decade at the helm, she has helped a quarter million families stay in their homes.
Press, Jordan
Jordan Press advises affordable housing and development clients navigating New York City, state and the federal government. After holding senior roles across city and state housing agencies, he joined Constantinople & Vallone and became a partner at the lobbying firm in 2024. Press recently helped a client close on the long-stalled redevelopment of the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market into a new market with affordable housing above it. He also advanced a request for proposals at 581 Grant Ave., which is replacing a former municipal parking lot, and secured preliminary approval for a 1,500-unit large-scale affordable housing conversion in Manhattan.
Quart, David
David Quart has spent more than two decades turning housing policy into projects that get built. After spending his early career in and around New York City government, Quart now helps developers and public agencies translate rezonings, environmental reviews and public land strategies into mixed-income neighborhoods. He argues that to build homes, “we need to confront barriers” by taking action like streamlining approvals and coordinating funding. His work spans efforts including Alafia in Central Brooklyn, Arverne East in Queens and Innovative Urban Village in Broklyn, with affordability, transit access and community uses integrated from the start.
Rivera, Carlina
Having been raised in Section 8 housing on the Lower East Side, Carlina Rivera brings real-world experience to her leadership of New York state’s largest affordable housing trade association. During her almost eight years representing Manhattan in the New York City Council, Rivera made housing central to her agenda, securing capital funding for preservation while pushing rezonings aimed at expanding the housing supply near transit and backing the City of Yes zoning overhaul. She stepped down early from her term-limited seat last year to shift full-time into her current role in statewide advocacy, and later joined New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Housing Transition Committee.
Rivera, Johnny
Johnny Rivera organizes tenants inside some of New York City’s most distressed buildings, partnering with residents to secure repairs, protect affordability and prevent displacement. At Build Up Justice NYC, Rivera turns informal tenant groups into functioning associations to negotiate collectively. His work was visible at the Red Hook Gardens complex, where he supported tenants suing over poor conditions and seeking written guarantees of return during redevelopment. Rivera also leads Know Your Rights trainings and helps tenants navigate Housing Court.
Rivera, Xellex
Xellex Rivera balances shelter operations with efforts to move families toward permanent homes, saying that housing is “a fundamental human right.” Since stepping into program leadership after a senior role at Urban Resource Institute, Rivera has helped guide the organization through a rebrand and expansion into supportive and affordable housing. During the asylum-seeker influx, HSNY partnered with New York City to shelter more than 3,000 migrants by housing them in commercial hotels and transitioning other sites into sanctuary facilities.
Robinson, Yarojin
Yarojin Robinson, who joined Gilbane Development in 2023, leads one of New York City’s largest affordable and mixed-income housing platforms, overseeing more than 12,000 homes totaling over $5 billion in development activity. Robinson has spearheaded projects including the Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments, the 740-unit Peninsula redevelopment in the Bronx and Renova West, a supportive housing community anchored by behavioral health services. He has also increased Gilbane’s New York City Housing Authority Permanent Affordability Commitment Together rehab work, including the 1,200-apartment Manhattanville Houses conversion in West Harlem.
Rosenthal, Linda
Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal uses the Housing Committee gavel to keep Albany’s housing conversation tethered to affordability, not just unit counts. Since she was assigned to chair the committee in 2023, Rosenthal has pressed the case that 421-a style tax breaks deliver too little affordability for the public cost. She has backed expanding rent stabilization tools beyond New York City, including efforts to give upstate communities a path to opt in. A champion of the Housing Access Voucher Program, Rosenthal helped secure initial state funding in 2025, with the pilot set to launch this year.
Sanchez, John
After running the 5 Borough Housing Movement, serving as the district manager for Bronx Community Board 6 and holding senior staff roles in the Assembly, John Sanchez joined CMW Strategies in 2024. At CMW, a top 10 lobbying firm in New York City, Sanchez advises housing and real estate clients. His recent work includes rezonings at two Brooklyn sites that opened the door to nearly 400 new apartments, more than one third of which were permanently affordable. This year, he is working on projects expected to deliver more than 200 affordable homes and advising clients on how policy shifts shape affordable housing development.
Sanchez, Pierina
In the game of musical chairs in the New York City Council at the start of the year, Council Member Pierina Sanchez was one of relatively few to continue to lead the same committee, in her case the Committee on Housing and Buildings. The Bronx lawmaker has called for a rent freeze, a top priority for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Sanchez’s committee has oversight over the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Department of Buildings as well as rent regulation.
Sanvidge, Brian
After more than a decade as an inspector general in New York, fraud expert Brian Sanvidge now leads regulatory compliance and investigations at Anchin, overseeing independent monitoring for publicly subsidized housing and construction projects. His work includes compliance under major housing tax incentive programs – including 421-a and 485-x – with oversight spanning roughly 1,500 affordable units. Sanvidge focuses on wage standards, minority- and women-owned business procurement, affordability requirements and cost controls using digital systems to track compliance, flag fraud and ensure public housing dollars are used as intended.
Savino, Michael
Since joining Municipal Credit Union in 2023, Michael Savino has expanded affordable lending tools for first-time buyers while also strengthening financial literacy through education. In 2025, his team helped connect members to more than $400,000 in housing grants, with over $650,000 already secured for 2026. Savino speaks publicly on housing issues, discussing mortgage rates, credit recovery and practical homebuying decisions in the media. As a board member of the MCU Foundation, he also supports grantmaking that reinforces housing stability and community development across New York City.
Simone, Joe
Joe Simone’s recent projects reflect a partnership-driven approach to workforce housing across the region. In New Rochelle, his development company partnered to deliver West View Apartments, a 24-story tower with 186 homes reserved for families earning at or below 60% of the area median income. Another joint venture, QWest Towers in Mount Vernon, adds over 200 rentals serving households earning between 40% and 80% of the area median income. In the Bronx, Simone is advancing a 970-unit workforce housing development that will also open over an acre of new public space along the Bronx River.
Smarr, Jamie
Jamie Smarr leads the NYC Housing Partnership, a nonprofit organization founded by then-New York City Mayor Ed Koch that relies on public-private collaboration to create and preserve affordable housing across New York City. Smarr has advanced deals that protect affordability while adding new supply, including the 523-unit Ebenezer Plaza in Brownsville, Brooklyn, the 611-unit Sherman Creek North Cove project and Cadman Towers, an innovative conversion of a Mitchell-Lama cooperative to a city-sponsored affordable housing co-op. Smarr also expanded the Affordable Housing Expo, connecting thousands of New Yorkers to rental and homeownership resources.
Sobhan, Sharmi
With more than 25 years in community development and affordable housing financing, Sharmi Sobhan has helped deploy capital to build affordable homes across the East Coast. She has structured nearly $3 billion in transactions that produce housing, including adaptive reuse projects and public housing reinvestments, such as a $25 million credit facility supporting the Rochester Housing Authority’s Parliament Arms and Fairfield Village redevelopment. She also helps shape the field through board roles at Women in Housing Finance and the New York Housing Conference.
Tigani, Ahmed
Appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani as buildings commissioner, Ahmed Tigani brings a comprehensive view of housing in New York City, shaped by senior roles in the City Council and across multiple housing agencies. Previously, as acting commissioner at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Tigani oversaw the financing and preservation of more than 44,000 affordable homes, including 5,000 Mitchell-Lama units, while finding permanent housing for over 13,000 previously homeless families. He is now focused on aligning permitting, enforcement and construction safety with the city’s push to accelerate housing production.
Walentas, Jed
Jed Walentas has deep roots in Brooklyn, building on his family’s legacy of singlehandedly creating the Dumbo neighborhood. He’s extending that legacy along the Williamsburg waterfront, guiding the Domino Sugar redevelopment. The final phase sweetens the pot with more than 300 affordable apartments, with 105 additional units built offsite and added density unlocked through the City of Yes. Walentas is also advancing River Ring, a plan with 263 affordable units, although shifting state tax incentives have created challenges. As chair of the Real Estate Board of New York, he sits at the center of those policy debates.
Zitolo, Joseph
Joseph Zitolo brings four decades of accounting and tax expertise to the nuts and bolts that advance affordable housing: stabilizing troubled buildings, structuring deals and making the numbers add up. Zitolo has steered the fiscal and operational strategy behind turnarounds of more than 3,000 distressed units. Recent work ranges from a Sunnyside, Queens, groundbreaking for 55 new affordable apartments to rehabilitating a city-seized Bronx building slated for a permanently affordable co-op path. He also co-founded an accounting firm and handled low-income housing tax credit deals at Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co., which was absorbed by KPMG.
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