Gov. Hochul Announces New Administration Appointments in Housing & Economic Development Sectors

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced new administration appointments in the housing and economic development sectors. Tania Dissanayake has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Housing. Most recently, she served as Deputy Director for the City of New York Mayor’s Office of State Legislative Affairs, where she acted as an advisor to its Director and Senior administrative officials on critical matters impacting New York City while assisting in overseeing the Office’s Legislative Representatives and Senior Advisors.

James Katz was appointed Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Workforce. He joins the Executive Chamber from the Office of the Manhattan Borough President, where he served as Deputy Borough President and led high profile land use negotiations, served as a trustee and Audit Chair of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, and represented the Borough President on the boards of many of the city’s parks conservancies and Business Improvement Districts. Prior to joining the Borough President’s Office, Katz was an Executive Vice President and the Chief of Staff at New York City Economic Development Corporation for seven years.