New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)

Background

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the largest municipal housing preservation and development agency in the United States. Established in 1978, HPD's mission is to promote quality and affordability in the city's housing, and to foster diversity and strength in New York City's neighborhoods. The agency achieves this by maintaining building and resident safety, creating opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability, and engaging communities to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity.

Key Strategic Focus

HPD's strategic objectives include:

Maintaining Building and Resident Safety and Health: Enforcing the New York City Housing Maintenance Code to ensure housing quality and safety. This involves conducting inspections, educating property owners, initiating legal actions in Housing Court, and performing emergency repairs.

Creating Opportunities Through Housing Affordability: Financing new affordable housing developments, preserving existing affordable housing, and providing rental and down-payment assistance to New Yorkers.

Engaging Communities: Collaborating with local residents, elected officials, and community groups to create and preserve affordable housing that fosters equitable, diverse, and livable neighborhoods.

Financials and Funding

In Fiscal Year 2025, HPD's total expense budget is $1.79 billion, with $1.57 billion allocated for operational and programmatic expenses. The remaining $217 million serves as a pass-through for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). The budget comprises over 20 individual funding sources, with $762.3 million (approximately 48%) derived from the city's own resources.

Pipeline Development

HPD is actively working towards Mayor Eric Adams' "moonshot" goal of creating and preserving 500,000 homes to address the housing shortage and homelessness crisis. In calendar year 2023, HPD financed the creation of 14,227 new affordable homes, marking an all-time record. Additionally, the agency connected nearly 13,000 households to affordable units, with approximately 10,000 placements through Housing Connect lotteries and 3,000 households transitioning from shelters to HPD homeless set-aside units.

Technological Platform and Innovation

HPD has embraced technological advancements to enhance its services:

NYC Housing Connect: An online affordable housing lottery platform with over one million active users. The platform streamlines the application process, allowing applicants to search for homes based on family size, income, and household needs.

Real-Time Field Force (RTFF): A mobile tablet application for housing maintenance inspections. RTFF facilitates real-time transfer of housing complaint information to inspectors and captures maintenance data during home inspections, reducing delays and improving efficiency.

Leadership Team

Ahmed Tigani: Acting Commissioner, First Deputy Commissioner, and Chief Diversity Officer.

George Sarkissian: Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs.

Leadership Changes

As of June 2025, Ahmed Tigani serves as the Acting Commissioner of HPD.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

New York City's housing market faces significant challenges, including a shortage of affordable housing, rising rents, and increasing homelessness. HPD's initiatives aim to address these issues by creating and preserving affordable housing units and ensuring housing quality and safety.

Competitor Analysis

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): Provides public housing and administers the Section 8 Leased Housing Program. NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in North America, managing over 335 developments across the city's five boroughs.

New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR): Administers housing and community development programs at the state level, including rent regulations and affordable housing initiatives.

Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB): A nonprofit organization that assists tenants in transitioning to cooperative ownership and advocates for affordable housing.

Cooper Square Committee: A nonprofit organization advocating for tenant rights and affordable housing in New York City.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

HPD collaborates with various governmental, community, nonprofit, and for-profit partners to strengthen neighborhoods, increase the supply of well-maintained, affordable housing, and enable more New Yorkers to become homeowners.

Operational Insights

HPD's operations are guided by its mission to promote quality and affordability in the city's housing and to foster diversity and strength in neighborhoods. The agency's strategic initiatives, technological innovations, and collaborative partnerships position it to effectively address New York City's housing challenges.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

HPD is focused on achieving the city's goal of creating and preserving 500,000 homes to address the housing crisis. The agency plans to continue leveraging technological innovations, enhancing community engagement, and strengthening partnerships to meet this objective.