Opinion: Our Affordable Housing Workforce Must Reflect the Communities It Serves
Publication: City Limits
With a new presidential administration comes uncertainty around the future of our institutions and the national economy, but one thing is certain: the economic strain caused by rising living costs and a critical shortage of affordable housing is making it increasingly difficult for families to make ends meet.
These issues weigh heavily on working-class New Yorkers as they navigate one of the most expensive cities in the world, and now more than ever—as we wait to see what new leadership and policies bring—we must ensure that they have paths to enter the workforce, gain financial stability, and position themselves for upward mobility.
Affordable housing is not just a solution to the city’s severe housing shortage; it’s a powerful driver for job creation and economic mobility. We represent two organizations working in affordable housing, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) and Wavecrest Management, that have partnered to tackle the affordability crisis by lifting low-income New Yorkers out of poverty while bolstering the affordable housing workforce. Here’s what we have learned works and how others can leverage our approach to make a real impact:
Invest in cross-sector partnerships
We have seen firsthand that the long-term success of workforce development programs depends on meaningful partnerships. Collaboration is at the core of Housing Career Pathways, an initiative operated by BWI in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA). As part of this training program, BWI connects participants—90 percent of whom are residents of NYCHA public housing or other affordable housing programs—with internships and full-time employment at private companies and public agencies, working in project compliance, marketing, leasing, and operations.
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