Housing Career Pathways Marks its 100th Graduate

October 30, 2024December 2, 2024 Michael

Housing Career Pathways (HCP) is a workforce development program that connects NYCHA residents, NYC Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) residents, and other low-income New Yorkers to employment opportunities in the affordable housing sector, specifically in administrative roles related to affordable housing leasing, management, and compliance. It is a partnership between NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability, HPD, Enterprise Community Partners, and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI). On October 10, program partners and participants celebrated the graduation of HCP’s seventh cohort and 100th graduate.

The program includes four weeks of full-time training on the affordable housing industry, digital skills, and job readiness, followed by an 80-hour paid internship. More than 30 affordable housing property management firms and employers have hosted interns or hired graduates from the program. Ten graduates from cohort 7 are currently participating in three-week internships in NYCHA’s Operations, Management Services, and Leased Housing departments.

Following the graduation of the 17 members of cohort 7, more than 100 participants have now completed the HCP program since its launch in 2022. Jon Suarez graduated from the first HCP cohort and, thanks to the program, has been working in affordable housing for the past two years. At the graduation, he told the seventh cohort graduates: “As a project compliance specialist at Wavecrest Management, I’ve been given the opportunity to use the skills that I learned in the HCP program while working with countless homeless individuals and families in shelters, helping them attain affordable housing. I’m confident that you will find your roles just as rewarding as long as you commit yourselves to the goal of helping your fellow New Yorkers in need.”

man speaking at podium — Housing Career Pathways Alumnus Jon Suarez was one of the speakers at cohort 7’s graduation.

woman speaking at podium — Housing Career Pathways Alumnus Jon Suarez was one of the speakers at cohort 7’s graduation.

In addition to graduates of the program, other speakers at the event included NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt; Enterprise’s Vice President and New York Market Leader Baaba Halm; BWI’s Executive Director Aaron Shiffman; HPD’s First Deputy Commissioner Ahmed Tigani; and HCP employer partners: Wavecrest Management’s Director of Leasing Compliance Christina Harsch and Pronto Housing’s Chief Operating Officer KC Crosby.

HCP has achieved an 80 percent job placement rate for graduates. Job retention for the program is also strong, with 81 percent of last year’s placements maintaining employment for over a year. Graduates often see their average annual wage more than triple, showcasing how the program positively impacts their careers and financial futures.

Based on the success of HCP, additional cohorts will be enrolled beginning in early 2025. If you are a NYCHA public housing or Section 8 resident interested in learning more about HCP, please call the REES Hotline at 718-289-8100.