NYC Housing Partnership Development Corp. names Park as chief executive officer

Manhattan, NY The board of directors of the Housing Partnership Development Corp. has named Molly Wasow Park as chief executive officer of the nonprofit organization.

Park is a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Social Services, the nation’s largest municipal social service agency. Prior to  that, she served as first deputy commissioner at the city’s Department of Homeless Services and held senior positions at the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

For more than forty years, the Housing Partnership has helped expand affordable housing across New York City and beyond through innovative public-private partnerships, creating and preserving over 100,000 low and moderate-income housing units in the five boroughs, leveraging over $11.1 billion in private financing and utilizing more than $550 million in subsidies for affordable housing. 

In making the announcement, Ronald Moelis, chairman of the board of directors of the Housing Partnership, said “Molly Park brings important experience and skills as the Housing Partnership faces new dimensions and challenges in providing greater access for more New Yorkers to safe and comfortable affordable housing. Her unique background and expertise combine a deep knowledge of the realities of affordable multifamily residential development and preservation in New York City along with a responsiveness to social needs. This enables the Housing Partnership to broaden our range of services while maintaining our leadership in forming productive partnerships among City, State and Federal agencies and private sector property owners, developers and financial institutions. We are aligned with other stakeholders in the affordable housing community in supporting the successful implementation of the Mayor’s new housing plan that will benefit all New Yorkers.” 

Moelis thanked Jamie Smarr for his service and said “Jamie Smarr has led the Housing Partnership through a challenging period for the affordable housing community, expanding into new lines of business as we strive to alleviate housing insecurity for New Yorkers.” 

Park said “I’m excited to take on this new role and to build on the partnership’s strong history in New York City’s affordable housing sector. In this moment, when both affordable buildings and the tenants who live in them are struggling, the partnership plays a key role in implementing innovative solutions that make housing more sustainable for landlords, tenants and communities. I look forward to leading this effort.”

Dina Levy, commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, said “For over 40 years, the NYC Housing Partnership has been a leader in expanding access to affordable housing across New York. Molly Wasow Park, a dedicated public servant and fierce housing advocate, is the perfect choice to build on that legacy, and the Partnership is fortunate to have her at its helm. I’m excited to see what she and the team accomplish in the years ahead, building on Jamie Smarr’s strong foundation.”

Kathryn Wylde, who served as the Housing Partnership’s first president and CEO from 1982 through 1995, said “It is exciting to see the Housing Partnership bring in Molly Park in preparation for helping the Mamdani Administration achieve its ambitious housing agenda. Nonprofit intermediaries like the partnership are the key to accelerating production and maximizing affordability today, as they were when the partnership was launched in 1982.”

Eric Enderlin, president of the NYC Housing Development Corp., said “The Housing Partnership has long played a vital role in advancing affordable housing and strengthening communities across New York City, and I can think of no one better suited to lead the organization into its next chapter than Molly Wasow Park. On behalf of everyone at HDC I extend heartfelt congratulations to Molly on her appointment. I look forward to continuing our important work together to ensure that more New Yorkers have access to safe, stable and affordable homes.”

Rachel Fee, executive director of the New York Housing Conference, said “Few leaders have Molly’s depth of experience addressing New York’s housing challenges. As she steps into her new role as head of the NYC Housing Partnership, Molly will be focused on one of the sector’s most urgent issues: preserving and stabilizing distressed affordable housing. At a time when it poses a growing challenge across New York, Molly is exceptionally well positioned to help advance solutions that preserve affordability and ensure these homes remain a stable resource for the communities that depend on them.”

Smarr said, “I am proud to have served as CEO of the Housing Partnership where I have built upon the organization’s 43-year history of delivering safe, affordable housing opportunities for middle-class New Yorkers.” 

Smarr will continue to serve the Housing Partnership as president through the end of 2026 to support the executive transition, after which time he will pursue career opportunities in real estate and economic development, his professional focus for over 25 years.