New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani nominated five experts in housing, land use, public service and community development to serve on the New York City Planning Commission (CPC), among them Meenakshi Srinivasan.
The others include Kenneth Knuckles, Anthony Crowell, Margaret Anadu, and Julie Stein. All five nominations are subject to the City Council’s advice and consent.
According to the October 21, 2026 announcement, the five nominees bring decades of experience in public service, affordable housing, urban planning, investment and community engagement.
“Zoning and land use decisions shape whether New Yorkers can afford to live in their neighborhoods and whether our city is built to serve the people who call it home. We need a City Planning Commission that understands the urgency of our housing crisis and the responsibility that comes with shaping our neighborhoods,” Mamdani is quoted saying in the press release.
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Srinivasan called it a privilege to serve on the CPC. “I am excited about the prospect of joining the Commission at such a pivotal time, as the city faces an acute housing crisis and the Commission’s expanded role is critical to addressing it,” Srinivasan said, adding that she welcomed the opportunity to bring her skills and experience to the Commission.
Srinivasan, an architect by training, served in City government for more than 28 years in planning, land use and zoning. She chaired the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), where she is credited with overhauling preservation strategies and introduced regulatory and transparency reforms.
As chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), she oversaw zoning variances, special permits and administrative appeals while implementing new agency rules, rigorous application standards and online resources.
Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Director of the Manhattan Office at the Department of City Planning.
Most recently, she has advised on significant housing, mixed-use, commercial and institutional projects as a senior adviser in the land use and public strategies practices of two law firms, according to the press release.
Srinivasan has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, India, and a Master of Architecture and a Master of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is an honoree of the Society of Indo-American Engineers and Architects and the New York Society of Architects, according to her bio on nyc.gov.
The CPC holds public hearings and reviews land use applications from City agencies, elected officials, community boards and private property owners.