Governor David A. Paterson today announced that Brian E. Lawlor has been appointed Commissioner of the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and CEO and President of ‘nyhomes,’ which includes the state’s Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA).
Although the two housing agencies will remain separate entities, the consolidation of the DHCR and ‘nyhomes’ leadership positions is the first step in the Governor’s plan to create a single management structure. The synergies in administration, asset management and grant-making are expected to produce annual savings of $3.5 million.
Lawlor had been serving as Acting Commissioner of DHCR since January and before that as Executive Deputy Commissioner of the agency since 2007. During that time, he helped usher in a new era of increased coordination and collaboration between the state’s housing agencies, resulting in greater efficiency, reduced costs and maximization of limited resources.
“Brian Lawlor brings more than 25 years of experience in the affordable housing field and is uniquely qualified to lead our housing agencies as they merge their administrative functions,” Governor Paterson said. “Having served in a number of executive policy-making positions, Brian is well prepared to fulfill our mission to provide safe and decent affordable housing for New York’s families, while also working to increase efficiency and reduce costs. I look forward to working with Brian as we continue to preserve and create affordable housing across the State.”
Commissioner Lawlor said: “The economic downturn has created a number of challenges for the affordable housing community, making it more important than ever before that the State’s housing agencies work together to help build, preserve and protect our affordable housing stock. I am honored to have been selected by the Governor and the Board of Directors of ‘nyhomes’ to lead this effort. I look forward to continuing our work with members of the affordable housing community and with Federal, State and Local officials to make our housing agencies more efficient while maintaining the integrity of our housing and community renewal programs.”
Judd S. Levy, Chairman of “nyhomes,” said, “Brian Lawlor will be an excellent President and CEO of ‘nyhomes.’ With his extensive experience in promoting and protecting affordable housing, I am sure that Brian will provide leadership and vision to our agencies in these difficult economic times. As chairman of ‘nyhomes,’ I look forward to working with Brian as we pursue our mission of creating and preserving affordable housing.”
Duncan Barrett, President of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) said, “Brian Lawlor is the consummate affordable housing professional. NYSAFAH commends the Governor for this appointment and the initiative to consolidate functions of the State’s Housing Agencies. We look forward to working with Mr. Lawlor on the challenges and opportunities to create and preserve affordable housing for New Yorkers.”
Carol Lamberg, Co-Chair of the New York Housing Conference and Executive Director of Settlement Housing Fund, Inc, said, “We could not have a better choice to head up our state’s housing agencies than Brian Lawlor. His commitment to affordable housing, his knowledge and experience and his ability to get things done with an eye to quality make him the ideal person for the position.”
From 1992 to 1994, Lawlor served as Assistant Secretary to the Governor for Housing and in 1994 as Counsel to the State Director of Housing. As Executive Deputy Commissioner of DHCR, Lawlor was instrumental in the administration of more than $700 million in stimulus funds in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including the largest allocation of Weatherization funds in the nation and more than $260 million in Tax Credit Assistance Program resources and State CDBG funds.
Lawlor has also served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Housing Trust Fund Corporation and Chair of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. He also sits on boards of New York State Housing Finance Agency, State of New York Mortgage Agency, the Affordable Housing Corporation, the Homeless Housing Assistance Corporation and the Harlem Community Development Corporation.
Lawlor was the co-founder of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Low Income and Affordable Housing and its first Upstate Co-Chair and was named Advocate of the Year in 2005 by the New York State Association of Affordable Housing.
Lawlor received a Bachelor of Arts from Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York and a Juris Doctor from New York Law School, New York, New York.
