The Bob Pohlman Lifetime Achievement in Community Development Award is traditionally awarded annually to a leader in the community economic development space with more than 20 years of experience and impact. However, in honor of CNHED’s 25th Anniversary, we decided to award three separate awards, each honoring a recipient representing one of CNHED’s founding focuses: Affordable Housing, Economic Development, and Advocacy.
Martin Mellett
Recently retired this year, Marty Mellett served at Jubilee Housing for over 10 years. First as director of special projects starting in 2013, and ending as vice president of external affairs, a role he’d held since 2016. Prior to joining Jubilee, Marty served as Senior Program Officer at LISC DC while also serving as the director of the Community Development Support Collaborative, a multi-million dollar operating support effort to stabilize community development corporations and affordable housing agencies.
Marian Siegal
At Housing Counseling Services, Inc. since 1987, Marian started her HCS career working with tenant groups and cooperatives. Growing HCS into a comprehensive direct service organization, Marian has developed and implemented creative programs that respond to changing markets, supporting access to affordable and enduring housing for low and moderate-income households. Over the years she has forged strong partnerships to create, implement, and evaluate programs, policies, and procedures that are focused on access to sustainable housing opportunities.
Christopher LoPiano
Before retiring in 2021, Christopher LoPiano was responsible for all real estate development activities at Enterprise Community Development. He joined Enterprise’s team from CPDC where he built a high-capacity development and asset management team that expanded the organization’s portfolio by more than 1,000 homes. Before joining CPDC, Chris also served as the Director of Development at CityInterests and began his community development career at the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization.
A critical element of CNHED’s organizing and advocacy success has been the involvement of District residents and those with
lived experience. When CNHED first launched the Housing for All Campaign, the organization made a purposeful shift to not only integrate resident voices into the narrative but also integrate residents into decision-making around the campaign and its activities. With that shift, came the resident leaders.
Housing for All’s resident leaders were selected based on their connections within their communities, their lived experiences, and their passion for advocacy. Each of the four residents you are about to meet connected with CNHED after resolving their own personal housing challenges, using what they learned, and their experiences to help others accomplish their housing goals.
From obtaining local rent supplement funds to becoming homeowners, these four residents each have unique housing journeys that exemplify the success of affordable housing solutions in the District. That being said, their success did not come without challenges and hurdles, and it is those challenges and hurdles that make them the powerful housing advocates they are today.
The strength of their voices has been irreplaceable in giving credence to the issues and the cause. After more than 10 years of dedication and partnership with CNHED, we were delighted to honor each of them at our Silver Jubilee with the Resident Leader Legacy Award.
and join the fight for a District where all residents can live in thriving communities that are racially, economically and socially just!
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