Event Info
“Luck & Lotto: The Scarcity of Low Income and Affordable Housing in NYC ,” presented by BRIC TV in partnership with The City, will bring together experts and leaders to discuss the housing crisis facing communities throughout Brooklyn and the impact of limited affordable housing options and housing lotteries.
New York City has one of the highest costs of living in the world and NYC Housing Connect is ideally supposed to level the playing field by helping low income and working class families find adequate and affordable housing proportionate to their incomes. However, with a 1 in 592 chance of landing that housing, the odds are not in their favor. Then, even if they’re lucky enough to win the lottery, they undergo a lengthy income verification and credit check process.
What happened to the low income and working class enclaves that were once a stalwart of the NYC topography and what needs to change to ensure New Yorkers have housing options that don’t require winning an unreasonable game of chance? In this #BHeard Town Hall we ask why it’s so difficult to find affordable housing in NYC?
#BHEARD TOWN HALL PANELISTS
Associate Editor, The City | Rachel Holliday Smith
Pronouns: She/ Her
Rachel is an associate editor for THE CITY where she leads explanatory and service journalism. Formerly, Rachel covered Manhattan for THE CITY. She is proud to have previously worked for WNYC, DNAinfo and NY1 — and to call Queens home.
First Deputy Commissioner, Housing Preservation Development (HPD) | Ahmed Tigani
Pronouns: He/ Him
Ahmed Tigani is HPD’s First Deputy Commissioner and oversees HPD’s Office of Neighborhood Strategies and Division of Tenant Resources. An experienced urban planner and policy manager, Ahmed first joined HPD as the Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Neighborhood Strategies. Prior to joining HPD, Ahmed most recently served as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner for the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). Before joining DOB, Ahmed was Senior Advisor for Housing, Economic Development, and Labor in the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. He also served as Director of Housing Policy and Advocacy and then Legislative Director for the Office of NYC Council Member Helen Rosenthal. Ahmed started his career in City government as Director of Donations for Materials for the Arts at the Department of Cultural Affairs. Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Urban Planning from Hunter College. Instagam/Twitter: @nychousing Website: NYC.gov/HPD
Professor Emeritus, Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, Ronald Shiffman
Pronouns: He/ Him
Ronald Shiffman is a Brooklyn-based city planner, architect, professor, and author. In 1964, Ron Shiffman co-founded the Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development [PICCED] now known as the Pratt Center for Community Development. [PCCD] – the nation’s largest, public interest architectural, planning and community development office in the country.
Affordable Housing Advocate, Grisel Cardona
Pronouns: She/ Her
Single mom of three children, affordable housing advocate and educator.
NYS Senator, District 20 , Zellnor Myrie
Pronouns: He/ Him
Executive Director, IMPACCT Brooklyn, Bernell Grier
Pronouns: She/ Her
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