Urban Planning State of the Field w/ Perris Straughter

The Urban Planning program invites adjunct professor Perris Straughter to discuss his spring course offerings: “Equitable Community Engagement” and “Planning Methods and Practice."

Everyone (well almost) says affordable housing is a good thing. But the devil is in the details. Affordable for whom? Is it really affordable? It's great that it's affordable, but we don't want it here. It's not affordable enough. It's too affordable. Glad it's affordable but the building is too tall. Housing needs to be more affordable but we have too much housing already. It doesn't take long to realize that there's as many reasons to be against affordable housing as to be for it. Developing more affordable housing in New York City means engaging head on all the reasons why affordable housing isn't a good thing, at least for this site, this block, this community, this neighborhood. Join a discussion on how we as New Yorkers who believe affordable housing is a good thing can have these conversations and build a broader base of support for affordable housing in New York.

Perris Straughter is the Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Predevelopment for New York City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development. In that role he oversees seven units engaged in planning, predevelopment and resiliency work as part of the development of thousands of units of affordable housing throughout the five boroughs. The division he oversees is responsible for public engagement, issuing RFPs for public property and securing land use approvals for projects conducts planning efforts for nearly 200 acres of city owned land. Previously Perris was at the same Department as the Director of Queens and Staten Island Planning. Before coming to New York he was Supervising Planner in the City of Newark, NJ, where he coordinated planning and zoning approvals processes for the City. He helped lead the comprehensive overhaul of Newark’s zoning code and master plan. During his tenure in Newark he also led the Newark Public Art Program. Perris also served as Chairperson of Newark's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Advisory Commission. Perris has a Master’s in Public Affairs and Urban and Regional Planning from Princeton University. He is originally from Southern California.