Senior Team

Ahmed Tigani,
Acting Commissioner

Ahmed Tigani is HPD's Acting Commissioner and oversees all aspects of the agency. As Acting Commissioner, Ahmed works across divisions to foster new areas of collaboration and ensure operational and programmatic alignment; as well as working to strengthen ties with external stakeholders to advance the agency’s priorities. 

Prior to joining HPD, first as Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Neighborhood Strategies and then as First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity Officer, Ahmed served as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner for the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) and while there was charged with streamlining operations, accelerating project review, establishing more transparency, and developing new tools to promote construction and tenant safety. Before joining DOB, Ahmed was Senior Advisor for Housing, Economic Development, and Labor in the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the De Blasio Administration, working closely with the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development on various neighborhood rezonings, legislative agendas and priority projects. Before joining the De Blasio Administration, Ahmed served as Community Development Officer and then later as Assistant Director of Land Use, Planning and Development in the Office of the Manhattan Borough President (MBPO). In those roles Ahmed oversaw planning initiatives and community engagement operations, leading and co-leading various working groups within the office on a variety of subject areas. Before coming to the MBPO, Ahmed served as Director of Housing Policy and Advocacy and then Legislative Director for the Office of NYC Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

Ahmed’s started his career in public service as Director of Donations for Materials for the Arts at the Department of Cultural Affairs. Ahmed received a Bachelor of Arts and Science and a Master's in Urban Planning with a focus on Community Development from CUNY-Hunter College.

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Ahmed Tigani,
Chief Diversity Officer and First Deputy Commissioner

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Rosa Kelly,
Chief of Staff

Rosa Kelly is the Chief of Staff at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Rosa helps lead the day-to-day management of agency operations and the Commissioner’s office and guides the strategic priorities of HPD. With a background spanning land use, strategic planning, and public affairs, Rosa has dedicated her career to advancing housing initiatives and community development in New York City. 

Prior to her current role, Rosa served as Executive Director for Government Affairs at HPD, where she led stakeholder engagement, negotiated land use approvals, and served as the agency's point of contact with elected officials and other external stakeholders. 

Rosa's experience includes previous roles at HPD and the Department of Small Business Services focused on neighborhood planning, small business services and community economic development and the NYC Council's Planning and Land Use Division, where she provided technical assistance on land use changes and support for Council strategic initiatives. She is a proud alum of the Americorps Public Allies fellowship. 

She holds a Master of Science in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado. 

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Vacant,
Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs

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Lucy Joffe,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Strategy

Lucy Joffe serves as HPD's Deputy Commissioner for Policy & Strategy. HPD's Office of Policy & Strategy (OPS) leverages its expertise to guide and support HPD and its many offices in their efforts to deepen their impact, optimize their efficiency, and become more data-driven, compliance-attentive, climate-adaptive, and mission-focused. OPS collaborates with staff and senior leadership from across the agency, as well as with representatives from other agencies. OPS carries out its work through delivery of rigorous data, policy, and financial/credit analysis; technical and statistical research; compliance awareness and adherence; and techniques in program visioning and design to all HPD's areas of practice. OPS includes Strategic Operations & Analytics, Sustainability, Credit & Valuation, Housing Policy, and Research & Evaluation as well as the newly-launched Center for Research on Housing Opportunity, Mobility, and Equity (HOME).

Lucy joined HPD as the Executive Director of Regulatory Compliance and then served as Assistant Commissioner for Housing Policy and the Associate Commissioner for Housing Policy. She was an attorney-advisor in the Office of General Counsel of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and as a legislative aide for the New York City Council after starting her career as a New York City public school teacher. She was a Teach for America corps member and an Americorps member. She is currently a member of several nonprofit boards and teaches at the City College of New York.

Lucy earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science for Teachers from Pace University and a Juris Doctorate from the New York University School of Law.

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Kim Darga,
Deputy Commissioner for Development

Kim Darga oversees HPD's Office of Development, with divisions including New Construction, Preservation Finance, Housing Incentives, Homeownership Opportunities and Preservation, Compliance and Enforcement, Special Needs Housing, and Building and Land Development Services (BLDS). In addition, Kim ensures that the Office of Development is closely coordinated with other critical functions of the Agency, including Neighborhood Strategies, Planning, Policy & Strategy, Code Enforcement, and Asset Management.

Kim first joined HPD as a project manager in 2007, and over the last 16 years, served in numerous leadership positions within the Office of Development. Most recently, as Associate Commissioner of Preservation, Kim led the agency's housing preservation strategy and oversaw a large and varied transactional pipeline. With her team, she has worked to provide and preserve affordable rental and homeownership opportunities and expand resources for owners seeking financial assistance, including through the new programs like the Landlord Ambassador Program, Neighborhood Pillars, Housing Preservation Opportunities, and the Green Housing Preservation Program. Through HomeFix and the Basement Apartment Conversion Pilot Program, Kim and her team have expanded support for homeowners. Prior to joining HPD, Kim worked in various economic development and urban planning capacities in New York City, Dallas, and Beacon, NY. Kim received a Master of Public Policy from University of Michigan.

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Maurice Dobson,
Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs

Maurice Dobson is the General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs. As HPD's chief legal officer, Maurice oversees the Office of Legal Affairs which consists of the Contracts and Real Estate, Operations and Legislation, Regulatory Affairs, Tax Incentives and Housing Supervision, Mortgage Enforcement Litigation, Landlord-Tenant Litigation, and Procurement Services Divisions.

Maurice joined HPD in 2004 as a Senior Counsel and then Associate General Counsel in the Office of Legal Affairs. Since 2005, he has served as a Deputy General Counsel with increasing responsibilities and, most recently, oversaw the Operations and Legislation Division which handles legal work and provides legal advice related to contracts, procurement, labor, legislation, and other operational activities/initiatives of the agency, including marketing of affordable housing and Minority and Women -owned Business Enterprise initiatives. Prior to coming to HPD, Maurice served as an Assistant Counsel and then as Deputy Counsel for Capital Projects for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Maurice received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas.

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AnnMarie Santiago,
Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement and Neighborhood Services

AnnMarie Santiago has served as Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services (ENS) at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) since 2018. AnnMarie oversees a staff of approximately 1,000 employees responsible for assuring compliance with the New York City Housing Maintenance Code and the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law to promote quality housing for New Yorkers. Her Office conducts inspections and emergency repairs, initiates litigation in Housing Court related to housing maintenance code violations and provides outreach and information to property owners and tenants regarding rights and responsibilities related to housing maintenance issues.

AnnMarie received her Bachelor's Degree from New York University and her Masters in Management and Urban Policy from the New School. She started her career in City government in 1994 as an Urban Fellow working for the Mayor's Office. She joined HPD in 1996 and has served in a variety of capacities related to housing code enforcement. She was promoted to Associate Commissioner in 2012 and to Assistant Deputy Commissioner in 2015, and received the Sloan Public Service Award in 2017.

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Meryl Block Weissman,
Deputy Commissioner for Housing Access and Stability

Meryl Block Weissman serves as HPD's Deputy Commissioner for Housing Access and Stability. The Office of Housing Access and Stability (HAS) ensures fair, efficient, and transparent access to affordable housing. Through subsidies, placement services, and tools, HAS connects New Yorkers to affordable housing, ensures that vulnerable households in subsidized housing have the support they need to remain safely housed, and helps stabilize the financial health of buildings. HAS includes the Divisions of Housing Opportunity, Tenant and Owner Resources, Program Policy and Innovation, Housing Stability, and Budget and Program Operations.

Meryl began her HPD career in 2003 as an Operations Analyst and later served as Chief of Staff in the Office of Housing Operations. In 2010, she launched what would become HPD's Division of Strategic Operations (SOA) in the Office of Policy and Strategy. As Associate Commissioner of SOA, Meryl advanced strategic planning, fostered operational innovation, and implemented new data-driven processes across HPD. She also led performance management initiatives, promoted digital equity, and oversaw cross-agency compliance functions. Before joining HPD, Meryl worked in community and political organizing.

Meryl holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont and a Master of Urban Planning from NYU's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.

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Gardea Caphart,
Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration, CFO

Gardea Caphart is the Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), where he serves as the agency’s Chief Financial Officer and oversees the Divisions of Budget, Capital Planning, Fiscal Affairs, Human Resources, and General Services. In this role, he is charged with the planning and management of the agency's resources, including its approximate $4 billion annual operating and capital budget, and advises the Commissioner and senior team on how to improve efficiency and allocate funding to carry out HPD's mission of promoting the quality and affordability of the city's housing and the strength and diversity of its many neighborhoods.

With about 2 decades of experience at various levels of city government, Gardea keenly understands that the City has a responsibility to manage taxpayer dollars wisely to ensure the wellbeing of all New Yorkers - especially as it relates to providing housing.

Prior to joining HPD, Gardea served as the Director of Finance and Operations at the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, where he oversaw the agency's budget, advised leadership on fiscal and operational matters, and managed LPC’s Historic Preservation Grant Program. Active in his community, he previously served on Brooklyn Community Board 4 as Treasurer, and in his spare time, he enjoys working on volunteer projects with New York Cares.

Gardea received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Monroe College, and his MBA in Finance from St. John’s University.

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Prashant Thakker,
Chief Information Officer and Deputy Commissioner for HPD Tech

Prashant Thakker is HPD's Chief Information Officer and leads HPD Tech, which fosters quality technology solutions to empower decision makers with access to complete and accurate data on building, neighborhood, and market conditions. The Office aims to improve HPD's service to New Yorkers by facilitating public access to key agency functions and data.

Before joining HPD in 2021, Prashant served as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS), managing most of DSS' IT departments, a staff of 900+, and more than 500 vendor contracts valued at more than $150 million. A seasoned IT executive, Prashant first joined the New York City public sector in 1999 at NYC's Human Resources Administration (HRA). Since then, he has earned a reputation for his ability to deliver mission-critical projects on time and within budget. He is a graduate of the University of Bombay, India.