The city has selected JLL Technologies to find new companies that can help it transform its portfolio of properties with next generation solutions to today’s problems.
JLL will seek out proptech startups working to solve everything from reducing carbon emissions to integrating high-speed internet.
The aim is to work with home-grown talent to modernize they city’s 56 public buildings and NYCHA’s 335 housing developments.
“Proptech can help reduce energy use and emissions from City facilities and improve the way these properties are managed,” said Dawn M. Pinnock, Acting Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “Many of the best and brightest minds in proptech are right here in New York City, and DCAS is excited to partner with them to help meet the City’s ambitious climate goals.”
The announcement was made at the annual Propel by MIPIM conference earlier this week by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Rachel Loeb.
Loeb said JLL Technologies (JLLT) will serves as the City’s key partner to launch its Property Technology (Proptech) Piloting Program. The program will seek to find innovative proptech startups that are interested in working with NYCEDC, Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to improve quality of life for tenants and address building sustainability at City-owned and -managed assets
“We have chosen JLL Technologies as our partner to help address the city’s unique needs because of their deep knowledge of the proptech sector, a steadfast commitment to sustainability, and an alignment to the program’s goals,” said Loeb. “This program will go a long way toward rethinking how proptech is used and pave the way for technology to help bridge the digital divide and drive a more equitable recovery.”
Yishai Lerner, co-CEO of JLLT, said, “We are excited that this program will help spur technology innovation in the sector and serve as a model for other cities as they strive to improve well-being, sustainability, and more.”
In 2020, NYCEDC in partnership with DCAS and NYCHA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a partner to serve as the go-to organization for vetting and recommending proptech startups interested in working with city agencies to seek solutions for their tenants and assets.
JLL Technologies, one of the world’s largest real estate services organizations, was chosen for its high level of experience and previous work with thousands of startups to deliver innovative technologies to the world.
Together JLL Technologies, NYCEDC, NYCHA, and DCAS aim to bring the benefits of proptech to underinvested buildings and underserved communities, helping to drive more equitable access to technology. Further, the company will offer recommendations for startups whose technologies and innovations can be piloted in live environments.
“Incorporating new technologies is essential to improving the quality of life for our residents,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “The Property Technology Piloting Program spearheaded by NYCEDC will enable NYCHA to identify and partner with cutting-edge organizations capable of optimizing our technical and support services at the highest level, and prepare the Authority for meeting the property management challenges of the 21st century.”
“New smart building technologies have the ability to improve people’s lives by bolstering safety systems, increasing access to high-speed broadband internet, and making homes more energy efficient and sustainable,” said Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. “As founder of the Congressional Smart Cities Caucus, I’m excited about the opportunities this Proptech Pilot Program will create for our Brooklyn small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the smart city ecosystem, and I’m very hopeful that it will meaningfully and equitably enhance quality of life for our NYCHA residents.”
“As Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Technology, I applaud this pilot program to make use of proptech to improve the lives of New Yorkers who need it most. We must always move our city into the future and make use of the tech talent at our disposal,” said New York City Councilmember Robert Holden.
“It’s great to see NYCEDC harnessing the power of New York’s growing tech ecosystem to make the city’s buildings healthier and more efficient,” said Jonathan Bowles, executive director, Center for an Urban Future. “Hopefully, this will both improve quality of life for tenants and give a boost to the city’s emerging prop tech sector.”
In November of 2019, Deputy Mayor of Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been announced the City’s intention to create a proptech piloting program to leverage the City’s real estate portfolio to support sustainability, operations management, and public health. The selection of JLL Technologies is one step to bringing that vision to reality.
For startups interested in potentially piloting their technologies with the city via the proptech piloting program visit: edc.nyc/program/proptech for additional information.
