Jerry Hyppolite

Jerry Hyppolite is a behind-the-scenes operator driving real outcomes at the intersection of homelessness policy, government relations, and community engagement across New York City. As Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs at Housing Solutions of New York (HSNY), he has built and executed a multi-level strategy connecting city, state, and community stakeholders to advance both policy and service delivery — leading HSNY's government affairs work through a period of rapid expansion and heightened public scrutiny around shelter siting and homelessness response, and navigating complex relationships with NYC DSS/HRA, elected officials, and community boards while protecting the organization's priorities. As one nominator put it, Hyppolite "leads with deep integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the communities he serves."

That range showed up in a borough-wide policy engagement initiative he spearheaded, the "State of Homelessness & Hunger: 5 Borough Tour," bringing together policymakers, agency leadership, and nonprofit operators to bridge gaps between policy and lived experience — work that has elevated HSNY as a subject matter expert and trusted partner in citywide conversations on homelessness and food insecurity. He has also been instrumental in securing and strengthening legislative relationships with State Senators, Assemblymembers, and NYC Council offices to support discretionary funding and long-term policy alignment, including at Albany advocacy convenings like SOMOS focused on reinforcing HSNY's position as a credible, solutions-oriented partner. Internally, he built the tracking systems, reporting mechanisms, and cross-functional coordination models that align legal, program, and communications teams, ensuring advocacy is integrated into daily operations rather than siloed off from them.

What distinguishes Hyppolite, colleagues say, is his ability to operate across strategy and execution — moving from high-level policy positioning to on-the-ground issue management with precision, whether he's managing sensitive community engagement around shelter openings or advancing funding priorities. "Jerry has a heart for people and has dedicated his life to service," one nominator wrote, a sentiment echoed across nine separate nominations praising his integrity, humility, and ability to bring people together around shared solutions.