Communications Writer

About The Agency

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants.

With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants.

With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

The Division of Communications oversees all public relations for the agency and is responsible for crafting a proactive strategy to promote agency initiatives, programs, and accomplishments to the media, our partners, our staff, and the public. The division manages interactions with the press, social media channels, the agency’s website, internal communications, and digital and print materials.

The Communications Writer will support HPD’s Communications team by drafting, editing, and preparing written content for internal and external audiences. Reporting to the Press Secretary, the Communications Writer will prepare remarks, talking points, testimony, briefing documents, internal staff communications, public statements, and other materials that help explain HPD’s work clearly and persuasively.

This role requires a strong writer who can translate complex housing policy, program, budget, operational, and legislative issues into clear, accurate, and compelling language. The Communications Writer will work closely with the Press Secretary, Deputy Press Secretaries, program teams, senior staff, and other agency partners to ensure communications are timely, accurate, well-organized, and aligned with agency priorities.

• Draft and edit remarks, speeches, talking points, testimony, briefing documents, statements, quotes, internal messages, and other written content for agency leadership and the Communications team.
• Support planning and coordination for internal communications, including all-staff messages, leadership updates, town hall materials, newsletters, and employee announcements.
• Support communications preparation for public events, press conferences, legislative hearings, stakeholder meetings, internal briefings, and other high-priority agency engagements.
• Translate complex policy, program, budget, operational, and legislative information into clear and accessible language for internal and external audiences.
• Work with program, budget, government affairs, communications, and other agency teams to gather information, verify facts, and ensure written content is accurate and complete.
• Collaborate with external partners, other agencies, and internal teams to align messaging and develop…