ICSC is spreading its wings beyond retail. Local reps have launched a task force to suggest ways to use retail to encourage affordable housing development. (Can't Amazon just sell houses that come with free shipping?)

Ellen Sinreich, two months into her gig as NY/NJ state rep for ICSC, tells us the task force, made up of private interests and NYC officials, will look at how retail can serve as an amenity for affordable housing residents, as well as fill vacant retail space that could generate revenue for affordable housing owners and developers. If the initiatives it suggests work, ICSC could use its global reach to help roll them out in other urban areas. Ellen previously co-chaired ICSC's alliance committee, which aids public-private partnerships, and is president of consulting firm Green Edge and managing principal of law firm The Sinreich Group.

We snapped past NY/NJ rep Jason Richter of Perfumania (holding his own with Pitbull), who tells us Ellen’s jurisdiction numbers 4,105 members in NYC and 1,418 across the State of New Jersey. His old job, Ellen’s current one, was to act as liaison between those members and ICSC’s trustees. They also organize local events like the Executive Breakfast Series (Crown Acquisitions’ Isaac Chera just spoke and Bill Taubman is up next) and the annual ICSC New York National Conference in December.