The home insurance availability and affordability crisis is threatening the housing security of renters across the United States. As worsening climate change increases property damage and recovery costs rise, the insurance industry has responded by forcing policyholders to shoulder these costs so they can pad their profits.
Landlords of affordable and rent-stabilized housing legally cannot pass the increased costs on to their tenants who cannot afford more rent hikes, which puts huge strains on building finances.
In this webinar, housing experts from Los Angeles, Houston, and New York City discuss what affordable housing providers and cities can do to fight back against rising costs and fight for affordable housing security for all.
Featuring:
- Dina Levy, Commissioner, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development
As Commissioner, Dina Levy oversees all aspects of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and leads the agency’s work across every division to advance the city’s mission of ensuring quality, affordable housing and strengthening the diversity and resilience of New York neighborhoods. She leads HPD’s team of public servants and works closely with community leaders and city partners to expand housing access, support equitable development, and deliver results for New Yorkers.
Dina has spent her career fighting for safe, affordable housing for all New Yorkers, specializing in building and advancing initiatives designed around real needs in the areas of community development, affordable housing, and resiliency. As both an advocate and a public servant, she has championed tenants and homeowners alike. She has a wealth of experience organizing tenants, managing housing finance, and advancing community development.
Prior to joining HPD, Dina served as Senior Vice President of Homeownership and Community Development at Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), New York State’s affordable housing agency, where she was responsible for the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA), Office of Community Renewal, and Faith-Based Initiatives.
Dina also spent 20 years in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on social and economic justice. She worked for the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) where she served as Director of Organizing, building strategic coalitions to preserve, expand, and improve the quality of affordable housing across New York City.
Dina received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) focused in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Delaware. - Zoe Middleton, Associate Policy Director for Just Climate Resilience, Union of Concerned Scientists
Zoe Middleton is the Associate Policy Director for Just Climate Resilience at the Union of Concerned Scientists where her work focuses on policy responses to the overlapping housing and climate crises. She is based in Houston, Texas and has previously worked as a senior policy adviser and organizer to develop pro-tenant policies and advance equitable investments in affordable housing, disaster recovery, and climate adaptation. She serves on the boards of the Houston Community Land Trust and West Street Recovery. - Erich Nakano, Director of Special Projects, Little Tokyo Service Center
Erich Nakano has been with the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) since 1992. LTSC is a 45+ year old nonprofit organization that builds affordable housing, engages in comprehensive community development work in Little Tokyo, and provides a broad range of social services for the elderly and families. At LTSC he has managed affordable housing and community facility projects and launched several LTSC programs including the Affordable Housing Collaborative, Asian Pacific Islander (API) Small Business Program, LTSC’s Child Development Program, and others. He has been LTSC’s Deputy Director, and served as Executive Director from 2019 to 2025 after the former Executive Director passed away. In July, 2025 he stepped down as Executive Director and continues to serve on staff as Director of Special Projects.
Moderator:
- Caroline Nagy, associate director of housing at Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund
Caroline Nagy is the Associate Director of Housing Policy at AFR/AFREF. Her research and advocacy work focuses on fighting housing displacement, climate change, affordable housing, and consumer financial protection. She was previously the Senior Housing Strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, and has also worked for the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, and the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. She received a JD from NYU School of Law, and graduated from Ohio University with a BA and MA in Political Science.