2026 SOCIAL HOUSING CONFERENCE | PARSONS X UHAB
Monday, April 20th
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
New School University Center
Parsons School of Design
The New School
Join us for a full-day event bringing together community members, housing organizers, practitioners, academics, public officials and social housing advocates to engage in generative discussions, and advance the future of community- controlled, permanently affordable housing in New York City and beyond.
This is a formative moment in New York City’s history. Our new administration has committed to bolder and more equitable housing solutions. With over 50 years of experience in preserving and creating community-controlled housing, UHAB’s expertise and strong network of partners will drive the conversation on social housing and cooperative ownership toward collective action.
REGISTRATION
If you are currently enrolled in or teach in an urban program at The New School, you may attend at no cost. Registration is required, providing your full name, program, and email. This information will be reviewed prior to the conference and verified at the entrance upon presentation of your New School ID card. As seating for urban students is limited, once you register you are committing to attend. If you have questions or are unable to attend after registering, please write to: housingjustice@newschool.edu.
If you are not an urban student at the New School, please register at UHAB’s 2026 Social Housing Conference site.
WHAT IS SOCIAL HOUSING?
Social housing is a model of housing ownership and management that prioritizes people over profit. Rather than being treated primarily as a commodity on the private market, social housing is shaped by public purpose, democratic control, and long-term affordability.
In practice, social housing can take many forms — from public housing and community land trusts to limited-equity cooperatives — but what unites them is a commitment to stable, community-centered, non-speculative housing that supports equity, security, and resident self-determination.
CONFERENCE AGENDA
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM. BREAKFAST & REGISTRATION. Starr Foundation Hall, New School University Center, 63 Fifth Avenue.
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. WELCOME REMARKS. Tishman Auditorium, New School University Center, 63 Fifth Avenue.
Morning Plenary. On Social Housing.
Moderator: Margy Brown, Executive Director UHAB.
Panelists:
+ Dina Levy, Commissioner, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
+ Cea Weaver, Executive Director of the newly formed Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.
10:15 AM – 11:45 AM. CONCURRENT PANELS.
Panel 1. Building Social Housing at Scale:Community Ownership Models, Past & Present.
Moderator: Samuel Stein, Housing Policy Analyst, Community Service Society.
Panelists:
+ Tony Pickett, Chief Executive Officer, Grounded Solutions.
+ Susanne Schindler, Research Fellow, Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies.
+ Julia Duranti-Martinez, Senior Program Office for Community Research and Impact, Local Iniatives Suppport Corporation (LISC).
Panel 2. The Cost of Coverage: Rising Insurance Premiums and the Threat to Affordable Housing
Moderator: Rebecca Koepnick, Chief Trategy Office for Portfolio Preservation/Senior Vice President, Office of Housing Preservation, New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
Panelists:
+ John Crotty, Milford Street Captive.
+ James Fenniman, Area Executive Vice President, Senior Director, Construction Practice, Gallagher.
+ David Calvert, HDFC Co-op Board Member & Officer.
11:45 AM – 11:45 AM. COFFEE BREAK. Bark Room, 2 West 13 Street.
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. CONCURRENT PANELS.
Panel 3. Sustaining Resident Democracy: Leadership, Culture, and Community Across Generations.
Moderator: Gabriela Rendón, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Communitiy Development, Parsons School of Design.
Panelists:
+ Cooperators United 4 Mitchell Lama Members.
+ HDFC Co-op Members.
+ Housing Organizers for People Empowerment Tenant Associaiton Members.
Panel 4. Expanding Social Housing in New York City: Policy, Financing, and Practice.
Moderator: Andy Reicher, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board.
Panelists:
+ Courtney Horwitz, Founder & CEO, Strada Ventures LLC.
+ Rachel Jaffe, Senior Counsel, Goldstein Hall.
+ Stephen Erdman, Assistant Commisioner, Homeownership Opportunities & Preservation, NYC Department of + Housing Preservation and Development.
+ Brandie Moreno, Vice President, Community Preservation Corporation.
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM. LUNCH & NETWORKING. Faculty Lounge, New School University Center, 63, Fifth Avenue.
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM. CONCURRENT PANELS.
Panel 5. Financing the Future: A LIHTC Model for Social Housing.
Moderator: John Holdsclaw IV, President & CEO, Rochdale Capital.
Panelists:
+ Casey Fannon, President & CEO, National Cooperative Bank.
+ Charles S. Laven, Chariman & CEO, Forsyth Street Advisors.
Panel 6. Decarbonizing Social Housing: An Earth Week Conversation on Climate Justice & Healthy Homes.
Moderator: TBC.
Panelists: TBC
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. CLOSING REMARKS.
Afternoon Plenary. Kaplan Auditorium, 66 12th Street.
Panel. Tenant Takeover: Campaigns to Plan the Future of Social Housing.
Moderator: Arielle Hersh, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board.
Panelists:
+ Juan Barahona, Principal, SMJ Development.
+ Sumathy Kumar, Executive Director, Housing Justice 4 All.
+ and more TBC!
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. PRIVATE VIP COCKTAIL RECEPTION. Starr Foundation Hall, New School University Center, 63 Fifth Avenue.
This conference has been organized by the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board in partnership with Parsons School of Design and Parsons Housing Justice Lab.
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