Howard Slatkin

Howard Slatkin joined Citizens Housing and Planning Council as Executive Director in January 2023 after over two decades of government service at the intersection of housing and planning in New York City. His career has been guided by a commitment to innovative public policy and practical problem-solving.

As Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning at the New York City Department of City Planning, Howard oversaw long-term planning and policy development and a range of citywide initiatives to promote housing supply, affordability, economic development, and sustainability. With a focus on data- driven, solution-oriented planning, he has shaped numerous citywide strategic plans, and led an expansion of the agency’s public dissemination of data and analysis to inform decision making and public discourse. Howard has also directed neighborhood planning initiatives that have produced tens of thousands of units of mixed-income housing alongside open space and other public improvements.

Among the zoning initiatives Howard led was Zoning for Quality and Affordability, a set of reforms to promote housing production that was prompted by CHPC’s research. The implementation of these changes has enabled builders to create more affordable units throughout the five boroughs. As DCP’s first Director of Sustainability, Howard led Zone Green, a set of zoning and legislative changes that promoted green buildings. This project won the American Planning Association’s 2012 national award for Excellence in Environmental Planning. For his work on these and other initiatives to address the city’s housing and planning needs, CHPC awarded Howard its 2015 Public Service Award.

Howard is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Urban Planning at Columbia GSAPP. He received his master’s degree in Urban Planning from Columbia and a bachelor’s degree in history from Brown University.