NEW YORK CITY—Effective communication comes in many styles. At a forum “Game Changing Ideas and Best Practices Among Leading Dealmakers,” Time Equities chairman and CEO, Francis Greenburger, minced no word in his videotaped message to the mayor.

After criticizing the high number of vacant retail spaces and pointing to costly real estate tax bills, Greenburger pointedly said, “The mayor needs to recognize his very important, very useful and commendable social programs are coming from the money that the real estate industry in New York provides. So, he'd better take care of us or the golden goose … the golden goose isn't feeling so well today.”

Paul Massey, Jr., the president of NY investment sales at Cushman & Wakefield, who ran against Mayor Bill de Blasio, was the keynote speaker at Wednesday's event produced by CollabNet and Ellipsis, LLC, at the Pillsbury law firm. Massey's message to the mayor was to “get out and listen.” He emphasized New York City has a very challenging situation with the middle class suffering from a housing crisis.

“It's incredibly expensive to live and work here,” Massey said. The housing stock is approximately 80 years old and deteriorating and New York City will likely increase in population. The city will need massive housing on a scale it has not seen in decades, according to Massey.