Community HousingWorks appoints affordable housing development and finance expert to lead development team
Kevin Leichner joins the executive leadership team as Senior Vice President, Housing and Real Estate Development
SAN DIEGO – July 24, 2023 – Community HousingWorks (CHW), a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops, rehabilitates, preserves and operates quality affordable apartment communities, has appointed Kevin Leichner as Senior Vice President of Housing and Real Estate Development. With more than two decades of experience in real estate development and finance, Leichner brings a wealth of knowledge from the nonprofit, for-profit, and public sectors. He joins CHW as a member of the executive leadership team on July 31.
“Kevin brings to CHW a vision to double CHW’s impact for its residents and communities over the next several years,” stated Community HousingWorks President and CEO Sean Spear. “He expects to continue to build on our track record of innovation and accomplishments and to develop and promote from within the next generation of affordable housing leaders. Kevin plans to increase CHW’s access to resources and development opportunities to fuel our pipeline, influence policy to make building and preserving high-quality affordable housing easier, and mentor talented real estate development professionals.”
Leichner most recently served as Vice President of Development, Housing Finance and Acquisitions at Eden Housing where he supervised a new construction pipeline of more than 1,000 apartments, completed substantial rehabilitation of more than 2,500 apartments, and led Eden’s acquisition strategy. He also managed Eden’s debt and equity investment placements and was a vital contributor to Eden’s policy and advocacy efforts. By fostering an entrepreneurial, supportive culture and providing opportunities for advancement from within, Leichner built a cohesive and caring development team that delivered results.
“I look forward to navigating these challenging times with the leadership that is already in place at Community HousingWorks and continuing to build the organization’s reputation as a place where people want to further their careers and help to solve the current affordable housing crisis,” Leichner comments. “I look forward to working with Sean as a leader, and the energetic and talented team at CHW, to expand equitable access to high-quality, service-enhanced housing in California and Texas.”
A current board member of East Bay Housing Organizations in Oakland, California, and a former planning commissioner for San Leandro, California, Leichner holds a master of business administration and a master of science in Urban Planning from Columbia University in the City of New York, and also holds a bachelor of arts in architecture with a minor in city planning from University of California, Berkeley.
About Community HousingWorks
Founded in 1988, Community HousingWorks is an award-winning, internationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops, rehabilitates, preserves, and operates affordable apartment communities in California and Texas. In addition to providing working families and seniors with stable homes in healthy communities, Community HousingWorks layers in powerful programs, services, and connections to resources. These tools help people attain financial stability, improve their health and overall well-being, and set school-age children up for success in the classroom and beyond. Recognized multiple years by Affordable Housing Finance magazine as one of top 50 affordable housing developers in the nation, Community HousingWorks owns over 4,051 apartments in 46 communities, serving over 11,000 working families, children, and seniors, with a pipeline of more than 1,200 new apartments. Community HousingWorks is an “exemplary” ranked member of the national NeighborWorks Network®, an award-winning affiliate of UnidosUS, and a member of the prestigious Housing Partnership Network. To learn more, visit https://chworks.org. We Build Futures.
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