**REBNY Annual: Commercial Real Estate Leaders Urge Collaboration with New Mayor**
At the 130th Annual Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) event, commercial real estate leaders emphasized the importance of collaboration between the city’s new mayor and the real estate industry, especially in tackling New York City’s affordability crisis.
Bruce Mosler, Chairman of Global Brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield, highlighted the severe housing shortage as a top concern. “We have a 1% vacancy in the housing arena; that’s not going to suffice for the long run,” said Mosler. He urged the city to form public-private partnerships to deliver more affordable housing and support the city’s workforce retention.
Other notable real estate leaders also weighed in, underscoring the need for long-term solutions and a cooperative approach moving forward. These included:
– Camille McGratty, Head of Real Estate at the Hospital for Special Surgery and 2026 REBNY honoree
– David Falk, President of the Tri-State Region at Newmark
– Gary Malin, COO of Corcoran Group
– Jeff Gural, Chairman of GFP Real Estate and 2026 REBNY honoree
– Leslie Himmel, Founder and Managing Partner of Himmel + Meringoff Properties
– Christine Quinn, President and CEO of Women in Need
– James Nelson, Head of U.S. Investment Sales at Avison Young
The shared message from these industry leaders was clear: addressing affordability, improving availability of housing, and fostering meaningful partnerships between public and private sectors must be high priorities for the city’s leadership.
This call to action reflects a broader consensus throughout the real estate community—supportive governance and proactive collaboration are essential for the city’s long-term growth and resilience.
