NYC Council Urges Action on HPD Staffing Shortages Amid Housing Crisis

During the recent New York City Council Executive Budget Hearing, officials addressed the critical staffing shortages at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which currently has approximately 400 unfilled positions. The vacancy rate at HPD has risen to around 15.9%, translating into a total of 449 vacancies as of March 2025. This increase is concerning, especially in light of ongoing housing crises in the city (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=5370).

Council members expressed urgent concerns that without filling these vacancies, HPD would struggle to advance necessary affordable housing and preservation projects. The FY2026 executive budget for HPD is set at $1.56 billion, a significant reduction from the previous year’s proposal of $2.13 billion. Declines in funding and staffing levels threaten the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission during a time when housing needs are at their highest (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=1272).

HPD Acting Commissioner Tagani outlined strategies to address these vacancies. The department is actively engaged in recruiting, utilizing city job postings to attract talent across various critical areas, including asset management, neighborhood planning, enforcement, and development teams. Job fairs have been held, resulting in 70 offers being made to potential candidates (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=5718). Additionally, HPD plans to introduce a capacity accelerator program, allocating over $7 million to bring in temporary staff with relevant experience to help manage project workloads, especially in preservation (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=2748).

Despite these efforts, the hiring process remains burdened by bureaucratic procedures. It can often take up to a year to assign project managers for crucial preservation deals. This bottleneck illustrates the urgency needed in streamlining hiring practices to meet project demands effectively (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=6403).

Moreover, council members underscored the importance of prompt action from the administration to fully realize the commitments made in the “City of Yes” initiative, which aims to enhance HPD’s operational efficiency by adding new positions—94 were specifically targeted—thus addressing the city’s housing needs more effectively (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=9227).

As the council continues discussions about the budget, there’s a clear emphasis on the necessity for robust funding and hiring practices to meet the city’s pressing housing challenges. The collaboration between the city council and HPD remains critical in navigating the complexities of New York’s housing landscape amidst growing demands for affordable living solutions (Source: https://youtu.be/Ub8QVzZuiS0&t=16054).