CHPC was excited to attend the opening of Affordable New York: A Housing Legacy, the newest exhibition of the Museum of the City of New York.
Based on the idea that affordable housing is ubiquitous in New York City, though most of it goes unnoticed, Affordable New York offers a survey of government intervention in the housing market. The exhibition spans the development of New Yorks public housing projects in the mid-20th Century, to the bold leadership that dragged the city from economic and social doldrums in the 1980s, to current Mayor Bill de Blasios plan to revitalize neighborhoods through the construction and preservation of subsidized housing.
We are thrilled that our innovative educational tool Inside the Rent has been incorporated into Affordable New York. The Museum features a tablet on the wall of the exhibition, on which visitors can play the interactive game. Framed by the exhibitions presentation of how much affordable housing there is in New York City, Inside the Rent provides an impactful way to communicate the costs of building new rental housing in this city.
Prior to the opening of the exhibition, the Museum held a panel discussion on affordable housing in the city. CHPC Board Chair Richard Roberts added his sharp insight alongside Saky Yakas of SLCE Architects, Ismene Speliotis of the Mutual Housing Association of New York, Ron Moelis of L+M Development Partners, Rafael Cestero of the Community Preservation Corporation, and John Banks of the Real Estate Board of New York. The panel followed opening remarks from the current NYC Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, Alicia Glen, and the former congressman from Massachusetts Barney Frank.
CHPC assisted the Museum with our unique understanding of how various levels of government, myriad programs, and partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit sectors coincide in the housing field. In addition, the Museum has borrowed primary documents from CHPCs fabulous Marian Sameth and Ruth Dickler Archives for display in the exhibition.
Affordable New York runs through mid-February, 2016 at the Museum of the City of New York.