2023 Annual Luncheon - CHPC New York

On March 29, 2023, CHPC hosted its 63rd Annual Luncheon at the Times Square Marriott Marquis. The luncheon brought together 1,000 members of the housing and planning community to celebrate their accomplishments over the past year, recognizing specific trailblazers and organizations for their outstanding contributions to New York Citys housing and development efforts.

Our annual luncheon is an occasion to celebrate another year of housing and planning accomplishments across New York, said Howard Slatkin, Executive Director of Citizens Housing & Planning Council. We are proud to honor the exceptional individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond making unique contributions to addressing the needs of New Yorkers and their neighborhoods, to create a more equitable, better housed city.

View the full 63rd Annual Luncheon program here.

THE 63RD ANNUAL LUNCHEON HONOREES

IMPACT FOR HOUSING AWARD

MOLLY PARK

Acting Commissioner, Department of Social Services

Molly Park received the Impact for Housing award, recognizing her efforts as Acting Commissioner of the Department of Social Services and previously as First Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Homeless Services, where she has overseen rehousing, capacity development and agency planning and operations. Molly has played a key role in shaping the agency response when New York City began to welcome an influx of asylum seekers in 2022.

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IBO BALTON COMMUNITY PLANNER AWARD

LIZETTE CHAPARRO

Director of Land Use, Manhattan Borough President

The Ibo Balton Community Planner Award was given to Lizette Chaparro, the Director of Land Use and Planning at the Manhattan Borough President’s office, acknowledging her work with communities and efforts towards affordable housing across the borough. Lizette has worked in this role since 2020, also serving under former Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

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INSIGHT AWARD

JERUSALEM DEMSAS

Staff Writer, the Atlantic

Jerusalem Demsas received the Insight Award to commend her for her important work in bringing housing issues to the attention of the general public through the numerous pieces she has authored in The Atlantic regarding housing development and policy, particularly in high-cost cities like New York City. Jerusalem’s work has touched on aspects of NIMBYism, homelessness, and the causes of gentrification.

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IMPACT FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AWARD

425 GRAND CONCOURSE DEVELOPMENT

Trinity Financial, Inc. &
MBD Community Housing Corporation

The South Bronx affordable housing development, 425 Grand Concourse, and its developers received the Impact for Community Investment award. The product of a partnership between Trinity Financial and local nonprofit MBD Community Housing Corporation, the 26-story development demonstrates how underutilized sites can be transformed into healthy, mixed-use, affordable multi-family housing that contributes dramatically to a community’s diverse needs. In addition to affordable housing, the building contains a supermarket and space for Hostos Community College, and sets a new mark for sustainability as the largest Passive House building to date in North America.