2025 Year in Review: Steve Wylder, Safehold

What accomplishment, milestone, project or transaction stood out for you or your firm in 2025? 
Safehold launched an affordable housing platform this year, in an effort to expand our presence in the low-income housing tax credit space. We’re seeing significant demand for our ground lease capital from affordable developers, where our structure can be very useful in bridging capital structure gaps and moving projects forward. It’s a CRE segment with significant unmet demand, and one we’re really excited about as a complement to our originations activity in other asset classes.

What emerging trends or shifts will shape opportunities for you, your firm, or market sector in 2026? 
Housing affordability is a key issue, especially at a time when elevated costs and rates are putting pressure on developers’ ability to meet the demand for rent-restricted rental product. Through Safehold’s new affordable housing platform, we’re positioning our low-cost, long term ground lease capital as a tool to help fill these gaps and put much needed housing on the ground. It’s a theme that will shape our ongoing effort to scale our investment into the affordable sector.