Governor Kathy Hochul today announced Daniel Tietz will be nominated to serve as Commissioner of OTDA.
“I am building my administration with the best and the brightest to tackle the challenges facing our state,” Governor Hochul said. “With his wealth of experience and passion for public service, Daniel Tietz will be an extraordinary addition to our team, and I look forward to working with him to deliver greater services and opportunities for vulnerable New Yorkers.”
Daniel W. Tietz will be nominated to serve as Commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Most recently, Mr. Tietz served as Interim CEO of Bronx Parent Housing Network, Inc., a provider of emergency shelter and social services to 2,000+ individuals in more than a dozen facilities. He was also appointed by the New York State Supreme Court to serve as Temporary Receiver/CEO for Childrens Community Services, Inc. (CCS). Previously, Mr. Tietz served as CEO of Bailey House, a community-based organization with a nearly 40-year history of providing housing and essential supportive services to families with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions. In January 2019, Mr. Tietz merged Bailey House with Housing Works, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Tietz served as Chief Special Services Officer for New York City's Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (DSS/HRA) overseeing programs that focused on the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including day-to-day shelter and intake operations for approximately 60,000 New Yorkers; as Executive Director of ACRIA, a national HIV research, education, and advocacy organization; and as deputy executive director at the Coalition for the Homeless. Mr. Tietz has also long-advocated on behalf of LGBTQI+ rights and social justice concerns and presently serves on the boards of directors for The New Pride Agenda and Housing Works, Inc. A lawyer and registered nurse, Mr. Tietz received a JD from New England Law School, a B.A. in Legal Services from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and an RN from the Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing. Mr. Tietz will serve as Acting Commissioner until confirmation by the Senate.
Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks said, “In his many years of public service, Dan Tietz has been an extraordinary advocate, a highly effective not-for-profit manager, and a great partner in our reforms when he as a senior leader at the Department of Social Services, always focused on achieving the best outcomes for New Yorkers in need. I have no doubt that Dan will bring that same compassion, management ability, and commitment to clients to serving as the Commissioner of the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, where he will be a force for continued progress and positive change.”
Senator Roxanne J. Persaud, Chair of the Senate Social Services Committee said, “Mr. Tietz is taking the helm of an agency whose actions and programs are vital to millions of New Yorkers experiencing significant need. I am eager to discuss Mr. Tietz’ nomination with colleagues, including those serving on the Social Services Committee. A great deal of work lies ahead in helping New Yorkers get back on their feet following this devastating pandemic.”
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF - Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Social Services said, "I applaud Governor Hochul on her superb choice of Daniel Tietz as the new Commissioner of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Throughout his career, Commissioner Tietz has demonstrated a true passion for helping New Yorkers impacted by poverty, homelessness, HIV/AIDS and so much more. Right now, New York State is experiencing a growing homelessness crisis and countless families across the state are struggling to make ends meet after having their lives upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is the time for bold leadership that will help more New Yorkers get back on their feet and receive the necessary assistance to enter supportive and permanent housing. As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Social Services, I look forward to working with him and Governor Hochul to enact changes that will help those experiencing homelessness, battling poverty, food insecurity and more."