Adams expands Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer’s role

Mayor Eric Adams has announced Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer will step into an expanded role to handle housing initiatives following the resignation of Jessica Katz.

According to a press release from the city, Torres-Springer has been appointed to lead the city’s efforts in improving NYCHA complexes, providing stable housing for the homeless, and working towards Mayor Adams’ goal of constructing 500,000 new homes within the next decade.

Since January 2022, Torres-Springer has been serving as the deputy mayor for economic and workforce development, playing a key role in accelerating housing development efforts.

Mayor Adams expressed confidence in Torres-Springer’s ability to address the affordable housing crisis, stating that her tenure with the administration and her track record in creating affordable housing and economic opportunities for New Yorkers have shown her readiness to take decisive action.

In a statement, Torres-Springer, who grew up in Section 8 housing, expressed her enthusiasm for continuing to contribute to the city’s housing infrastructure improvements. She emphasized the importance of providing stable housing, protecting existing affordable and public housing, and finding innovative approaches to make housing affordable for all New Yorkers.

City Hall reports that Torres-Springer has led three city agencies, managing a workforce of over 3,000 employees.

On May 24, Katz, the former chief housing officer, announced her resignation after serving for a little over a year in overseeing NYCHA, HPD, the New York City Housing Development Corporation, the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations, and the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The exact date of Katz’s departure from office has yet to be announced.