Jeffrey Ginsburg on Building Systems that Reduce Homelessness and Expand Opportunity

New York City continues to face a deepening housing and homelessness crisis, with tens of thousands of families experiencing housing instability. Leaders like Jeffrey Ginsburg, President & CEO of Volunteers of America–Greater New York (VOA-GNY), are working on the frontlines to advance solutions that connect housing, human services, and long-term economic opportunity.

March 26, 2026

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In our latest NYC Workforce Drop episode, Greg sits down with Jeff to explore why homelessness persists in a city with vast resources. Drawing on his experience in education and now leading a major housing and human services organization, Jeff shares how housing instability directly impacts learning, workforce participation, and upward mobility.

The conversation dives into VOA-GNY’s “Street to Home” model, which prioritizes getting individuals into stable housing quickly, as well as the systemic barriers—like bureaucratic delays and underutilized housing units—that prevent proven solutions from scaling.

They also discuss the critical role of public policy, funding systems, and political will in addressing homelessness, and what lessons from COVID and veteran homelessness can teach us about what’s possible when systems align.