April 16, 2024, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Nixon Peabody LLP, Tower 46, 55 West 46th Street, New York, NY
Ask any New Yorker and they will tell you that the “rent’s too damned high!” New York City has a significant housing crisis: According to the most recent Housing Vacancy Survey released in early February, only 1.4% of rentals were vacant in 2023—the lowest rate since 1968—and construction lags significantly behind demand.
So what’s being done to address this? A lot! Supportive housing, new construction, preservation, housing for health, public housing, and preparing for climate change are all in the mix. Pick up the conversation where past VCNY events have left off and join us at 6:30 p.m. ET for a conversation with Vassar alum housing experts talking about these strategies from a variety of angles.
Jenna Breines ’96
Jenna Breines ’96 is Director of Real Estate Development at West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc. (WSFSSH), a mission-driven, supportive housing provider with a portfolio of 2600+ units in 31 buildings in Manhattan and the Bronx. Before joining WSFSSH in 2021, Jenna spent 15+ years at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) where most recently she was Director of the Senior Affordable Rental Apartments program in the Division of Special Needs Housing.
Seth Bynum ’15 Seth Bynum ’15 works at Genesis Companies in the firm’s real estate development group as a Senior Project Executive where he uses his knowledge and experience in New York City affordable housing finance to project manage and develop affordable housing in both New York City and New Jersey. Prior to joining Genesis, Seth worked as a project manager in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Preservation (Year 15) Program at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. While there, he worked with developers of all shapes and sizes to refinance and rehabilitate Year 15 properties with various financings, such as city subsidy, private debt, tax credit equity, and bonds. Over the course of Seth’s time at HPD, he directly helped to preserve close to 1,000 units of affordable housing. Seth earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and minor in Urban Studies from Vassar College.
Leora Jontef ’96 Leora Jontef ’96 is the Assistant Vice President for Housing and Real Estate at NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest safety net health system. She oversees the system’s Housing for Health initiative to connect patients experiencing homelessness to stable housing. In this role, she oversees land assets for the development of affordable and supportive housing; interagency collaboration to assure multi-system users are housed expeditiously; and operationalizing new and creative interim and permanent housing opportunities in the NYC marketplace, such as medical respite and service-enriched permanent housing. Prior to joining NYC Health + Hospitals, she spent over a decade working in affordable housing finance and policy at New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Leora holds an MPA from CUNY Baruch College Marxe School of Public and International Affairs and a BA from Vassar College. She is also a graduate of Coro Leadership New York.
Simon Kawitzky ’06 Simon Kawitzky ’06 is Vice President for Portfolio Planning at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where he works closely with residents and the affordable housing community to bring comprehensive repairs and investments to NYCHA developments. Previously, at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Simon led neighborhood planning efforts focused on the construction and preservation of affordable housing in rapidly changing communities. He also led a citywide engagement strategy to inform the creation of the city’s first Fair Housing Plan. Prior to joining the public sector in 2014, Simon worked at Jonathan Rose Companies as an urban planner and project manager overseeing mixed-use, mixed-income redevelopment projects.
Elizabeth Greenstein ’87 Elizabeth Greenstein ’87 is Chief of Staff for the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations (HRO). Created following Hurricane Sandy to lead housing response and recovery in NYC, HRO has since expanded its mission to lead both post-disaster housing recovery and disaster preparedness. Prior to joining HRO, Liz was Director of External Affairs for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), where she led the development of public-private initiatives. Before going into public service, Liz worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations with a particular focus on strategy and fundraising. She also served as Director of Development for City Parks Foundation and as Assistant Program Director at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. A native New Yorker, Liz is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, Vassar College (cum laude), and Columbia University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She was also a Coro Leadership New York Fellow.
Introduction by Jeremy Busch ’14, Associate, Nixon Peabody LLP