Housing commissioner to leave post

Rafael Cestero, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, will be leaving his position to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. During his five years at HPD, Cestero “put his unique brand of innovation and pragmatism to work in advancing our mission to strengthen our neighborhoods and create a more affordable and sustainable city for all New Yorkers,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He added that Cestero was involved in the development of the New Housing Marketplace Plan to create 165,000 affordable housing units by 2014. “It has been an honor to serve the people of New York,” Cestero said. “I will truly miss working with the dedicated team at HPD, and the unique challenges of advancing the mission of the largest municipal housing preservation and development agency in the country… I am confident we have built a strong foundation from which HPD will continue to protect our city’s tenants and expand and preserve its affordable housing stock for generations to come.” TRD