WATCH: Alicia Glen’s parting thoughts as she prepares to leave City Hall

The Deputy Mayor plans to step down in early March

New York City’s outgoing Deputy Mayor has a final message to real estate’s most powerful industry groups: Use “political muscle” on developing mass transit infrastructure.

Glen, who announced in December she would leave the office, sat with The Real Deal for an exit interview on why she’s going, “complex politics,” and what she hopes to see the real estate industry take action on. She plans to step down sometime during the first week of March.

During her five-year tenure, she effectively became Mayor Bill de Blasio’s housing czar, driving the city’s housing and economic development initiatives, particularly the creation and preservation of affordable housing units and the rezoning of Midtown East.

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“We not only met our goals with respect to housing production,” she said. “We blew them out of the water.”

See the full interview transcript here 

Glen also oversaw the New York City Housing Authority, which amid its troubles is now under federal monitorship.

Watch the video above to see what she said about the future of the real estate industry, her biggest accomplishment during her time at City Hall and what comes next.