NYC housing czar Jessica Katz to step down in early July amid historic homelessness: sources
New York Metropolis Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz will step down in early July as town grapples with traditionally excessive homelessness, declining affordability, and a rising migrant disaster.
“She needs to take a break, it’s exhausting,” an individual aware of the matter stated.
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“Housing is so vital, it’s a continuous job.
“It’s been actually 24/7 for 18 months.”
Katz has performed a key position in metropolis housing efforts since getting appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in January 2022 to coordinate companies just like the Division of Housing Preservation and Growth and NYCHA.
Her duties included overseeing the roll-out of Adams’ “moonshot” plan to get 500,000 extra houses and residences constructed throughout the 5 boroughs over the subsequent decade.
“Over the past 12 months and a half, this administration has essentially modified the best way New York Metropolis approaches housing and homelessness,” she stated in an announcement that touted “historic funding” for public housing.
She additionally spoke to historic housing challenges which have emerged since she joined Metropolis Corridor, together with the arrival of greater than 70,000 migrants from the US Southern Border.
“We have now moved extra New Yorkers into protected, everlasting housing at the same time as we grapple with an unexpected humanitarian disaster.”
Katz instructed Gothamist, which first reported her impending exit, that she has no speedy plans past taking it simple this summer time.
At the very least 40,000 stay beneath the care of town — a problem that has led Adams on Tuesday to ask the Courts to permit town to droop the “proper to shelter” rule imposed years in the past.
Metropolis Corridor didn’t present speedy touch upon who may substitute Katz although the mayor on Wednesday praised her work on homelessness, public housing, and affordability efforts.
“From the ‘Housing Our Neighbors’ plan to the NYCHA Belief to securing tens of millions of {dollars} in lease reduction from Albany, she has been vital in our efforts to ‘Get Stuff Performed’ for New Yorkers,” Adams stated in an announcement.
