"In New York housing is a basic human right" | Israel today

The Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, recently announced the start of construction of an affordable housing project in the Mount Hope area (Mount of Hope) in the Bronx, with an investment of approximately 55 million dollars - the most invested project for affordable housing to be launched in the city, which includes 103 apartments at a subsidized price for eligible The housing, and a gym of about 9,500 square meters is built - befitting a city that advocates 'mixed uses'.

"We are making record investments in affordable housing and this project will ensure 103 New York households have a clean place to lay their heads at night," said Mayor Adams.

It turns out that not only little Israel is suffering from a housing crisis, this is also happening in the largest city in the USA and this is due to the popularity that the city is gaining: many people want to live in New York, more than the city can accommodate, which raises housing prices. So far almost as In Israel, but unlike what is happening in Israel, in New York there is an overwhelming agreement that without the intervention of the central and local government - the situation could get worse.

Hence, New York is deploying many resources to solve the housing crisis, among other things by promoting and encouraging projects for affordable housing, providing financial resources and land owned by the municipality to cooperating with residents and providing long-term incentives to entrepreneurs.

It was recommended to translate the New York model to the challenges of the Israeli market.

That's exactly why we caught Jessica Katz, who in January of this year assumed her position as the head of housing in New York City in all its aspects and is responsible, among other things, for the housing, development and urban preservation department and the new mayor's office whose mission is - "tenant protection".

Katz recently went on a short visit to Israel and joined a delegation from the local government cadet program in Israel.

Photo: Gerri Hernandez,

"We got to know Jessica Katz a few years ago as part of her previous role as director of the Civic Council for Planning and Housing. We had the privilege of hearing from her recommendations and ideas that were implemented as part of the unprecedented revolution she and her colleagues have made in New York over the past three decades in the field," explains Reot Wexler, director of cadet programs at the Edmond Partnerships organization de Rothschild.

What are New York's most significant challenges in the field of housing?

Katz: "Today there is a shortage of apartments in the city, in particular a shortage of affordable housing. Everyone is aware of this shortage and therefore we are required to be much more creative in our solutions. For years we have mainly focused on financing and adding as many units as possible and of course we will have to continue to do so, but focus only Increasing the number of housing units is not enough, and we also need to address other areas that New Yorkers need, such as supportive housing and housing for the elderly and small apartments for adults who live alone."

"We also have a long-standing problem of heavy bureaucracy that has created complex systems, and the results are that the people who most need housing assistance do not receive it. We are now taking a step back and looking at housing as a whole, in order to identify how to remove some of the barriers, through updating legislation and installing regulations They will lighten the regulation."

Have you visited Israel before - what is your impression of Israel and the housing situation here?

Katz: "I was hosted in Israel by the cadet program for local government from Edmond de Rothschild Partnerships.

It was an extraordinary experience, mainly thanks to the fact that I got to meet these young leaders who come from different backgrounds and are making a difference in the local authorities.

In addition, how can you forget the amazing Israeli food.

I'm already waiting to come back again."

As for the housing situation - there are many similarities between the city of New York and Israel, mainly in the lack of housing units.

Katz: "New York made a leap forward in implementing public and private partnerships, and in this process we learned many lessons that Israel can benefit from today. On the other hand, Israel and New York still have quite a few housing quality problems that need to be taken into account, and I hope we can continue to share insights and working methods in order to deal with the common challenges".

From your experience, what would you suggest the Israeli government do to promote an affordable housing policy?

Katz: "Cultivating young and diverse leadership that will bring creative and innovative ideas to the table is a significant element in promoting such a policy. The cadet program is a good example of developing such leadership at the local level and an approach that aims to promote urban planning that takes into account the needs of the entire population. If we believe that housing is a basic human right, So the role of the governing authorities, the government and the local authorities - is to provide safe and stable housing for all residents, whether it is regulation in relation to existing housing units or through the creation of new housing units. Everything depends on the different characteristics and needs of each authority, of course, but the authorities cannot transfer the The responsibility for this issue rests with another body."

What is the achievement in your career that you are most proud of?

Katz: "In my last position at the Civic Council for Planning and Housing, we established for the first time a process of public participation in the public housing complexes in the Chelsea neighborhood, in which the tenants were partners in decision-making all along. The results were above and beyond our expectations. Thanks to the great success, we are now committed to all the tenants They will be partners in making the decisions regarding the conservation processes of the compounds they live in."

In your current role, as director of housing in New York City - what do you perceive as success and what are your main goals?

"I have a very difficult challenge in my position - to alleviate the lack of housing in general and affordable housing in particular. I think that success in this case will be if I manage to reduce, even slightly, the number of people who need a housing solution. A significant part of this for me will be to change the bureaucratic process so that it is shortened, and people Those who need such a solution will receive it in a reasonable time."

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