Research & Innovations

From Enterprise Community Partners' press release:

Three exceptional leaders in affordable housing were recognized for their outstanding work during Enterprise Community Partners’ (Enterprise) 2025 Southland Social on Thursday, September 18, at The Grand in Los Angeles.

The Southland Social is the nonprofit’s signature annual gathering in Southern California, bringing together more than 250 leaders across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors to celebrate individuals and organizations whose work strengthens communities and expands housing opportunities. The 2025 honorees were recognized for their commitment to sustainability, decarbonization, and climate resilience for our region's affordable housing stock and our communities more broadly. 

• Visionary of the Year: Lourdes Castro Ramirez, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles President and CEO
• Community Partner of the Year: East LA Community Corporation (ELACC)
•  Business Partner of the Year: Wells Fargo

“Each of this year’s honorees brings unique contributions to the affordable housing landscape in Los Angeles. Their leadership not only strengthens our collective ability to create and preserve much-needed affordable homes but also ensures that communities across the region remain places of opportunity, stability, and hope,” Enterprise VP and Southern California Market Leader Jimar Wilson said. “We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to continuing to work alongside them to address Southern California’s most pressing housing challenges."

With more than 25 years’ experience in affordable housing at the local, state, and federal levels, Castro Ramirez took the helm at HACLA nearly one year ago, where she has led the team on increasing affordable housing inventory through transformative public housing redevelopment efforts and acquisitions; advancing socioeconomic opportunities through HACLA's investment in people and place; and creating innovative opportunities to empower over 1,000 HACLA staff, ensuring their continued success.

"At HACLA, we believe that housing is the foundation to opportunity and Jordan Downs is where this vision comes to life," said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, President and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. "We are honored to receive this Visionary of the Year Award. It's a reminder that when we invest in people, we change lives; and we're committed to continuing our mission to preserve, expand, and reimagine deeply affordable housing, creating opportunities for families to thrive."

Thirty years ago, ELACC was founded to advance the economic and social justice needs of residents in Boyles Heights and East Los Angeles. Since 1995, the nonprofit has leveraged over $250 million in housing and other community development resources to fulfill that mission. Building on this legacy, ELACC announced last year that it will transition its entire housing portfolio—28 properties in total—to an all-electric energy system.

“The transition to clean technology represents an important step in how we care for both our residents and our neighborhoods,” said Monica Mejia, ELACC President and CEO. “By moving toward sustainability, we are creating healthier living environments today while also doing our part to protect the future of our community. It is an honor to have this work recognized by Enterprise."

Wells Fargo has been a valued partner in Enterprise’s work both locally and nationally, advancing initiatives such as Enterprise’s Sustainable Connected Communities program in Southern California, the What’s Possible publication reimagining climate innovations, and the national Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge. Through Enterprise, Wells Fargo has also invested more than $556 million in affordable housing and community development.

“Safe, affordable housing is the foundation for thriving communities. Through the partnership of Wells Fargo and Enterprise Community Partners, we’re not just building homes—we’re investing in futures, empowering individuals, and strengthening neighborhoods across the country,” said Mario Holten, Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Impact, Southern California Region, Wells Fargo.

From the King County Housing Authority's press release:

KCHA has named our Central Administrative Campus in Tukwila, Wash., as the Stephen J. Norman Opportunity Campus in recognition of Mr. Norman’s 25 years of stewardship of KCHA and his outstanding service to the communities of King County.

A dedication ceremony held at our campus Sept. 24th honored Mr. Norman for his many achievements in housing our neighbors and improving communities throughout the region.

During his tenure, the number of households assisted on a daily basis by KCHA more than doubled, providing more than 50,000 individuals with safe, affordable housing. He focused on housing and on empowering the region’s poorest and most vulnerable households.

Mr. Norman created KCHA’s first Resident Services and Social Impact Departments to work with community partners in support of housing stability, health, self-sufficiency, and educational outcomes for KCHA’s clients:

• Working with local public and behavioral health care systems and with local non-profit housing and service providers, KCHA created an extensive network of supportive housing for homeless youth, veterans, child welfare involved families, survivors of domestic violence, individuals living with disabilities and other at-risk community members. More than 5,000 individuals are housed through these programs every day.
• KCHA also worked in close partnership with the region’s school districts, community colleges, Headstart program and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs to support the more than 20,000 youth that it helps house. To facilitate these efforts, KCHA built a network of 18 Early Learning and After-School Centers on its properties.

Mr. Norman’s vision encompassed the equitable distribution of housing opportunities throughout the region – involving the construction, rehabilitation and acquisition of affordable housing in all communities. He:

• Significantly expanded KCHA’s inventory of workforce housing, building or acquiring more than 5,000 units of permanently affordable housing. Many of these acquisitions were in affluent or rapidly gentrifying areas of the County, preventing significant displacement of existing residents. Several of these sites, including Wonderland Estates and Highland Village, were already slated for closure and redevelopment as market-rate housing when KCHA intervened.
• Developed new approaches to blending multiple kinds of housing into a variety of neighborhoods, integrating communities and creating nationally recognized models that paved a pathway for low-income families to move to high opportunity neighborhoods. In recognition of his leadership on this issue, Mr. Norman was honored by the Poverty & Race Research Action Council at its Conference on Housing Mobility in 2021.
• Led KCHA in redeveloping 120 acres in White Center, one of the poorest communities in King County, into Greenbridge and Seola Gardens – vibrant, award-winning mixed-income communities with more than 1,000 units of housing.
• Invested heavily in KCHA’s public housing through a robust program of maintenance and capital improvements, earning KCHA national recognition for the quality of its public housing inventory.

Mr. Norman served as President of the Council of Large Housing Authorities (CLPHA) from 2012 to 2021 where he worked with the leadership at HUD and with the United States Congress to support and expand affordable housing opportunities. He served as the Chair of the Board of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) from 2017-2024 and helped initiate a series of collaborative efforts between these two organizations to coordinate health, homelessness and housing efforts on the national level.

Mr. Norman has been recognized for his work both nationally and locally by diverse organizations including: The National Conference on Housing Mobility; the Washington State Housing Finance Commission; The White Center Boys and Girls Club; Building Changes for his work in addressing homelessness; and both Navos Mental Health Solutions and Valley Cities Counseling for his work on mental health issues. He is a recipient of the Norm Maleng Award from Lifewire for his efforts to house survivors of domestic violence.

Mr. Norman started his career as a community organizer in New York City. He retired from KCHA in 2021 after dedicating more than 45 years to affordable housing issues around the country, including serving as New York City’s first Assistant Housing Commissioner for Homeless Housing Development and as the establishing Vice-President of the Corporation for Supportive Housing.

From the Durham Housing Authority's press release:

Durham Housing Authority (DHA) and Laurel Street are pleased to announce the grand opening celebration of The Vanguard Apartments and groundbreaking for the next phase of the East Main redevelopment, Dillard Street Apartments.

Located in downtown Durham, Vanguard Apartments is a mixed-income development that includes one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment homes for individuals and families. Building amenities include storage lockers, a multipurpose room, fitness center, computer lab, playground, and outdoor picnic space. Vanguard represents the first phase of the redevelopment of two aging public housing properties, 519 East Main and Liberty Street Apartments, into a vibrant, mixed income community. Twenty-one (21) of the units are prioritized for former residents of 519 E. Main and Liberty Street.

“There’s no greater feeling than seeing the former site transform into its next generational purpose as we expand housing opportunities for the Durham community,” said Durham Housing Authority Interim CEO Anthony Snell. “These major milestones demonstrate our continued commitment to building communities that reflect – and serve – the people of Durham. This work would not be possible without support from the City of Durham’s Forever Home, Durham program, which was funded by the $95 million housing bond approved in 2019.” “The citizens and leadership of Durham endorsed the visionary concepts of the DDNP and provided the vital financial support to execute on the implementation.”

Also located on the same site, Dillard Street Apartments is another mixed-income development that includes 146 affordable and market-rate apartment homes. A community center will be built as part of this phase, which will include a community room, fitness center, computer lab and playground. Sixty-four (64) of the units are prioritized for former residents of 519 E. Main and Liberty. This is the third phase of redevelopment of 519 East Main/Liberty site and second to be supported by the $40 million Choice Neighborhoods Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to DHA and the City of Durham in 2022.

“The opening of the Vanguard Apartments exemplifies the City of Durham’s continuing commitment to providing safe, accessible and affordable housing for its residents,” said Leonardo Williams, Mayor of the City of Durham. “I appreciate the partnership with DHA, Laurel Street and other partners to deliver this new development for our Durham residents who deserve the best quality of living at an affordable price.”

“Our ongoing partnership with the Durham Housing Authority reflects our shared commitment to create thriving mixed-income communities in downtown Durham,” said Dionne Nelson, President and CEO of Laurel Street. “Thanks to our public and private partners, Laurel Street is committed to the redevelopment and growth of East Main Street into a thriving neighborhood,” she added.

“Our team at Fifth Third is so proud to support this project that brings more safe, affordable housing to downtown Durham," said Lee Fite, Carolina’s region president for Fifth Third. “The collaboration that leads to today’s celebration takes many committed partners, and it’s a testament to what public-private partnerships can achieve when all parties share a common purpose to create a more vibrant community for all.”

The Vanguard and Dillard Street Apartments’ total cost is $81 million. Major financing partners for the project include the Durham Housing Authority, the City of Durham, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, RBC Capital Markets, Fifth Third Bank, First Citizens Bank, JP Morgan Chase, the Community Development Trust, Cedar Rapids Banks and Trust, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Program.