Overview
Our country’s lack of affordable housing continues to grow, as home prices continue to rise, rent outpaces inflation, and new construction has slowed. It has never been more important for the leaders, lenders, nonprofits, and developers in this sector to bring together diverse talent who can contribute a variety of ideas and strategies to mitigate the housing crisis.
Simultaneously, the severity of this crisis is garnering attention. The affordable housing sector is receiving more resources than ever before, generational change in the C-suite is shifting focus, these organizations are growing rapidly, and their leaders are building the teams needed to support this growth.
Impact investors — including foundations, family offices, CRA motivated banks, and insurance companies — are taking notice as well. They also need to grow their teams to fuel market-based approaches that can contribute solutions to systems-wide social justice issues. Impact investing will unlock the broader capital markets to provide resources for battling seemingly intractable social, health, and climate issues, each of which start with where people live.
Terra Search Partners is passionate about preparing organizations and investors for expansion and opportunity. Approximately one-third of our executive searches fall within these sectors, and many of our own senior leaders have spent their careers in these areas. Other members of our team maintain strong and meaningful involvement in the world of affordable housing inside and outside of executive recruiting. Because we understand the entire ecosystem of these sectors so well, we bring a distinct advantage to our clients.
Our searches are highly targeted, expedient and deliver candidates who will be the strongest fit and make the greatest impact.
Our Strong Connections to Affordable Housing, Impact Investment, and Community Development Finance
We are dedicated to the positive impact that affordable housing and community development can bring. Partner Greg Melanson has spent more than thirty years of his career largely in the affordable housing finance business. Managing Director Becky Regan has thirty years of experience as a lender and leader of CDFIs and creating capital market strategies for multifamily affordable housing developers. Founder Matt Slepin has also dedicated decades of his career to this area of work.
Several members of our leadership team serve on nonprofit boards of related organizations. We are both formal and informal trusted advisors to their members as they contemplate leadership succession and advancing the mission of their organizations. In addition, we participate actively in industry membership organizations, where we contribute thought leadership and convene discussions to advance the production, preservation, and policymaking around all types of affordable housing and community finance.
Our commitment to the affordable housing and community development sectors also drives us to be affiliated with key industry organizations, including:
- Urban Land Institute Affordable Workforce Housing Product Council
- National Housing & Rehabilitation Association
- National Multifamily Housing Council
- Housing Partnership Network
- Opportunity Finance Network
- Housing Partnership Equity Trust
- Additional nonprofit board and committee involvement, including:
- Boston Impact Initiative
- New Ecology, Inc.
- Community Health Center Capital Fund
- MassHousing Home Ownership Advisory Committee
- NeighborWorks Capital
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation – DC Office Local Advisory Council
- Manna, Inc., Washington, D.C.-based affordable housing developer
