NEW YORK CITY-In another positive signal to the industry, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has appointed a Goldman Sachs executive as Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.

In her new role, Alicia Glen will, according to an announcement from de Blasio, “lead the administration's efforts to invest in emerging industries across the five boroughs, re-target unsuccessful corporate subsidies, build a new generation of affordable housing, and help New Yorkers secure good-paying jobs that can support a family.”

Glen is head of Goldman Sachs' urban investment group, which provides capital to underserved urban communities. In addition, she is a member of the diverse business engagement committee and the GSBank USA management committee, and co-heads the 10,000 small businesses initiative.

Under her leadership, UIG has spurred more than $5 billion of development across dozens of residential, mixed-use and commercial projects, as well as financed job creation and neighborhood revitalization strategies like the $40 million New York Healthy Food and Healthy Communities Fund. She is credited with helping to catalyze many significant projects, including Citi Bike, development in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and affordable housing projects in Harlem and across the outer boroughs.

But Glen is no stranger to politics either. She began her career as a junior aide to then-Manhattan borough president David Dinkins. From 1998 to 2002, Glen served as the Assistant Commissioner for Housing Finance at the New York City Department of Housing, Preservation and Development.

The city's political establishment, as well as industry representatives, are pleased by the appointment. “Alicia Glen's appointment sends a strong signal that our city means business when it comes to ensuring that economic growth benefits all New Yorkers,” says Manhattan borough president and comptroller-elect Scott Stringer. “During a stellar career in the public and private sectors, Glen has been a leader in financing and rehabilitating thousands of moderate and low income housing units in our City, as well as an advocate for small businesses and a catalyst for more than $5 billion worth of public-private partnerships. She brings a remarkable combination of skill, insight and integrity to the table.”

Adds the Real Estate Board of New York president Steven Spinola, “We commend Mayor-elect de Blasio on his selection of Alicia Glen as the incoming deputy mayor for housing and economic development. It continues a string of exceptionally talented and knowledgeable individuals who will work with the new Mayor to steer our city moving forward. We look forward to working with Glen and other city officials towards creating more affordable housing and an environment that will result in more good jobs.”

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Rayna Katz

Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.