As described by Mayor de Blasio, New York City has a crisis of housing affordability that touches everyone from the bottom of the economic ladder all the way up to the middle class. In his recent State of the City address, the mayor emphasized the urgency of creating and preserving affordable housing for the stability and growth of families and the preservation of neighborhoods -- essential components of a healthy and fair city. The administration’s housing plan when realized will allow all New Yorkers access to the city’s great promise and immense opportunities. In furthering his commitment to a more equitable city, the Mayor has laid out an unprecedented 10-year plan to build or preserve 200,000 affordable apartments across all five boroughs. The plan represents the most expansive and ambitious affordable housing agenda in the country with a potential investment of $41 billion over the 10-year period, surpassing the affordable housing agenda under Mayor Bloomberg.

This program will include two opening speakers from the administration – a keynote and a featured presentation – who will address key components of the housing plan, and the city’s changing demographics, respectively. The latter will cover population growth, an overall aging of the population, and the continuing trend toward smaller household sizes. A panel of housing and policy experts from the public and private sectors will discuss the housing response to these trends, the shape of the plan, and critical issues that must be addressed in order to achieve its ambitious goals. Critical issues will cover the appropriate balance between preservation and new construction, affordability income targets, and major implementation challenges including the proposal for shifting from an incentive based model to a mandatory inclusionary housing approach.