The Real Deal New York

From the January issue: Melinda Katz may not be a household name, but she’s in charge of the most powerful committee in the City Council and has helped shepherd through legislation that has changed the landscape of development in New York City. As the chair of the council’s Land Use Committee, Katz makes hundreds of high-voltage zoning decisions and hears requests from developers and property owners that often require her to balance preservation with the omnipresent construction that has defined her tenure in the council. Now, the Queens Democrat is looking for a promotion and is considered one of the frontrunners in the race to become the city’s next comptroller.