Categories: Network Events
11.21.2025
As Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Development at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) — the nation’s largest municipal housing agency — Kim Darga plays a leading role in shaping the future of affordable housing across the five boroughs.
As one of the driving forces behind HPD’s housing finance programs, Kim manages the deployment of more than $2 billion in capital funding each year, leveraging tax benefits and other public incentives to create and preserve affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for New Yorkers. Her work has been record-breaking, with HPD financing record levels of new affordable, homeless, and supportive housing during her tenure.
Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani describes Kim as “not just a friend and colleague, but one of the smartest, most compassionate, and most dedicated public servants I have ever had the honor of working alongside. Whether it’s bringing diverse parties together to get complex deals over the finish line, envisioning new ways to streamline our processes, or staying unrelentingly committed to ensuring that our housing and resources serve our most vulnerable neighbors, Kim does it all with class, creativity, and deep respect for her team and the broader housing community. New Yorkers are truly lucky to have her working on their behalf. Often one to shy away from recognition, there are few more deserving of this honor.”
Kim’s dedication to supportive housing has made her a universally trusted ally within the field. As Brenda Rosen, CEO of Breaking Ground and Board Chair of the Supportive Housing Network of New York, shared, “Kim has long been one of supportive housing’s greatest champions. Her steady leadership, creativity, and tireless commitment have helped thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers remain housed. The Network and our members deeply value Kim’s dedication.”
Kim first joined HPD in 2007 and she has held a variety of critical roles within the department, most recently serving as Associate Commissioner of the Division of Preservation Finance, where she advanced innovative financing models and preservation strategies for affordable housing. Prior to her work at HPD, she worked in economic development and urban planning roles in New York City, Dallas, and Beacon, NY, demonstrating an early and enduring commitment to community development.
Kim has helped transform the landscape of affordable and supportive housing in New York City through her intelligence, integrity, and unwavering commitment to collaboration. Though often one to work quietly behind the scenes, her impact is felt across every borough. She truly embodies the characteristics of an Unsung Hero.