NEW YORK CITY—As the industry eagerly awaits word on changes toaffordable housing rules and ratios under Mayor Bill de Blasio, thecity's Department of Housing Preservation and Development hascreated a new division that will focus on planning and running theforthcoming mandatory inclusionary zoning program, according toCrain's New York Business. HPD commissioner Vicki Beenalso pledges to cut red tape that could shave months off the timeit takes to complete affordable projects.

The new unit, called Neighborhood Strategies, will be led byDaniel Hernandez, a onetime executive at affordable-housingdeveloper Jonathan Rose Cos. Hernandez' division will take overplanning duties, which include preparations for large-scaleprojects and working on land-use review applications. The new unitalso will run the city's forthcoming mandatory inclusionary housingprogram, which will require developers who gain the right toconstruct a larger building through either a neighborhoodwide orspot rezoning to include a stated percentage of affordable housingwithout subsidies.

Additionally, Hernandez will focus on outreach to tenants,landlords and neighborhood stakeholders. The new division is partof a larger attempt to make the HPD more efficient and coordinateefforts with other agencies.