Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon has selected Keshav Poddar, the executive director of his transition team, as the deputy mayor for housing and economic development.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I promised Jersey City a government that puts residents first, and Keshav is exactly the person to help deliver on that promise. He has spent his career building affordable housing and fighting for working families – in courtrooms, in state government, and at the highest levels of federal policymaking,” Solomon said in a statement.
“When developers come to the table, we need someone who knows the deals inside and out and will make sure all of Jersey City benefits. Keshav is that person.”
Poddar is an attorney specializing in community economic development and affordable housing construction throughout New Jersey.
He has held positions across state and federal government, most recently serving as an advisor on economic policy in the Joe Biden-Kamal Harris Administration, including as an official at the National Security Council and on the staff of Vice President Kamala Harris.
He also served as economic policy manager for the Harris for President campaign.
Prior to his federal service, Poddar was counsel to former New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, where he worked on the state’s COVID-19 response and issues including consumer protection, criminal justice reform, and opioids enforcement.
He is a graduate of Yale Law School and holds a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College. A New Jersey native, he currenetly lives in Jersey City.
“Too many families in Jersey City are one rent increase away from being pushed out of the city they love,” added Poddar.
“I will fight every day to build housing that working people can actually afford and creating economic opportunity in communities that have been left behind. I’m honored to bring that work to Jersey City and to serve an administration that believes government should work for everyone.”
As deputy mayor, Poddar will oversee the coordination of housing and economic development policy across city agencies, including negotiating the construction of affordable housing, workforce housing, and other community benefits.
He will also lead efforts to attract businesses and create jobs—particularly in underserved neighborhoods—while ensuring that new development includes genuinely affordable housing with rents working families can pay.
His role sounds similar to that of former Deputy Mayor Marcos Vigil, the last deputy mayor under Mayor Steven Fulop who also served as the Housing, Economic Development and Commerce director for about seven months in 2018 before leaving City Hall.
On the campaign trail, Solomon mentioned he wanted to implement a deputy mayor of education if elected, a post that has not been announced yet as of this writing.
