Know about Gretchen Robinson

Gretchen Robinson is the Vice President of General Counsel at the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, which is a mixed-use development project. In this role, she manages compliance and legal matters, while providing strategic counsel to leadership on complex projects. Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation provides a comprehensive array of community services, infrastructure and technology on the island, including a school and a fire department.

In September of 2018 Gretchen Robinson became the new president of HUDAC. She has worked for over 30 years for public and private entities in government affairs in New York City. Prior to her work at HUDAC, she was Director of Legal Policy & Government Affairs for Mayor Bill de Blasio from 2014-2018 where she worked with all five city agencies on various initiatives including policing reform and affordable housing policy/programs/projects. She previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Policy and Planning for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) from 2011 – 2014. Robinson, who hails from the Washington, DC area, has a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and a BA in Political Science from the University of Maryland.

Gretchen Robinson has been at the forefront of several government policy initiatives, including equitable policing and affordable housing reform for over 20 years. As the former Deputy Commissioner at HPD and currently at HUDAC, she has had a major policy impact on the City of New York and its standing as an innovative leader in affordable housing and homelessness prevention.

Robinson is a board member of the St. Agnes Foundation, which provides housing assistance for low-income families. Robinson was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Partnership for NYC Neighborhoods (PNYC), which works with public officials and stakeholders to improve community development, neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing.

Robinson is a co-founder and past chair of New Yorkers Against Homelessness (NYAH), which has been instrumental in passing many laws that affect homelessness and fair housing. She has also served as a board member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and holds membership in several think tanks, including the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Policy Research.