New Leadership for New York's Department of Housing Preservation and Development

Vicki Been is leaving her leadership role at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for a job at New York University.

1 minute read

January 19, 2017, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"One week after Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration announced the city surpassed its latest affordable housing goal, the commissioner overseeing the plan said she will leave her job to resume teaching and running an academic research center," reports Sally Goldenberg.

Vicki Been will leave the Department of Housing Preservation and Development "by the end of the month to teach at New York University and serve as faculty director of the Furman Center," explains Goldenberg. Been's departure comes just weeks after Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod announced that he would be leaving the Department of City Planning. Been's departure sets off a chain reaction of personnel changes. First and foremost: "Maria Torres-Springer, currently president and CEO of the city's Economic Development Corporation, will replace Been."

Goldenberg's article provides a fairly comprehensive look at the life and career of Been. The affordable housing figures referenced in the lede follow:

Under Been, the housing agency closed financing on 20,854 new apartments and preserved another 41,652 over three years. That puts the mayor ahead of schedule for his goal of building and preserving 200,000 apartments for low- to moderate-income tenants.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017 in Politico New York

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

The Seat of Government

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

February 3, 2025 - Todd Litman

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Top floors of blue and white apartment building with palm trees against sunny blue sky in Malibu, California.

LA County Leaders Seek to Increase Penalties for Rent Gouging

Landlords who raise rents sharply after disasters could face fines of up to $50,000.

February 11 - Los Angeles Times

Man and two children on bikes next to red and silver train on sunny day.

How ‘Anti-DEI’ Efforts Impact Sustainable Transportation Studies

Research into accessibility, transit equity, and traffic safety is losing federal funding at an alarming rate.

February 11 - Streetsblog USA

Man sitting in chair along River Seine in Paris with fishing pole.

River Seine ‘Teeming’ With Life

Decades of restoration efforts are yielding positive results as dozens of species of fish return to the once-polluted waterway.

February 11 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.