Inclusive Hiring Practices for the Affordable Housing Industry: New Report and Toolkit to Promote DEI Across Your Organization

Hosted In Partnership with Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing (SCANPH)

Over the past year, SCANPH and NPH staff have collaborated to amplify our respective organizations’ efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and uplift industry-wide hiring practices that ensure the field evolves to best meet DEI goals and advance opportunities for truly diverse talent, particularly when it comes to racial equity. These efforts have culminated in the co-writing of a new report titled, “Strength in Diversity: Inclusive Hiring Practices for the Affordable Housing Industry; A Toolkit for Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” which is informed by significant feedback from our respective members, committees, and executive leadership to inform the content.

This report serves to highlight strategies and practices to create an inclusive pipeline of diverse talent that will meet diversity and inclusion goals for association members eager to make a difference and exert their contracting and hiring power as a mission-driven industry. Outlined in this report are successful case studies as well as simple approaches that hiring managers, industry leaders, and staff can implement so our industry continues to be welcoming, inclusive, and innovative.

Given the competitive nature of the current hiring environment and market conditions, DEI goals through inclusive hiring practices can help member organizations attract new candidates, new perspectives, and untapped potential and strengthen the industry in the process when it comes to the development and operations of affordable housing. Join this webinar for findings from the report, a successful case study on a staff retention strategy, and a panel discussion. Hiring managers, executive leadership, and members committed to advancing DEI goals industry-wide would benefit from this session. Stay tuned for the official release of the report!

Denice Wint, Vice President of Development, EAH Housing

Denice Wint joined EAH in 2018 after serving as the Director of Projects & Services, for Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO). There she oversaw real estate and community development projects as well as enhanced services programs.

Ms. Wint is primarily responsible for the supervision of project management staff executing multi-million-dollar rental housing and other real estate development projects on behalf of EAH, and facilitating relationships with local financial and government partners. She ensures successful closing of real estate projects under approved project completion timelines and within board-approved budget limits. Ms. Wint also manages activities during the predevelopment, development, initial or construction closing, construction, and final closing stages.

Before working at IHO, Ms. Wint worked at Los Angeles Housing Partnership (LAHP) for over seven years starting out as an Assistant Project Manager and working up to Senior Project Manager. Previously, she was also at Abode Communities where she served as a LISC AmeriCorps member. Ms. Wint holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from USC and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Scripps College. She currently serves on the SCANPH Board and chairs the Strategic Affairs Committee.

Ramie Dare, Bay Area Regional Director of Real Estate at Mercy Housing California

Ramie Dare is the Bay Area Regional Director of Real Estate at Mercy Housing California.  Her 3 decades as a developer of affordable housing and mixed-use buildings represents her dedication to community development and building the social and physical infrastructure of neighborhoods.  Throughout her career, Ramie has remained steadfast in her commitment to thoughtfully engaging communities in her work and intelligently identifying community needs and maximizing neighborhood assets to achieve shared goals in planning, design, and operations of the buildings she develops.

Rochelle Mills CEO, Innovative Housing Opportunities; SCANPH member 

Rochelle Mills brings a diverse background, including architecture, community planning, program development, writing, and copy editing to IHO. She is responsible for overseeing the growth and implementation of IHO’s vision, portfolio, and long-term impact. Before joining IHO, she was a partner in Mills Studio, a design firm, and the founding director of Architours, a boutique cultural tourism company–both companies received international acclaim. Rochelle embodies the spirit of IHO by leading with integrity and gratitude. She challenges herself to constantly raise the bar and passes on this work ethic to her team. An active volunteer, Rochelle was appointed to the South Los Angeles Area Planning Commission, the Crenshaw Community Design Review Board, and served as past president of SCANPH and the Association for Women in Architecture. She currently serves on the boards of CAL-ALHFA, and Arts for LA, and is a sought-after speaker. Rochelle recently received the Superior Performance in Real Estate (SPIRE) Awards Outstanding Woman in CRE for 2020, and the Women of the Year Award honoring exceptional women in the 46th Congressional District, and Bisnow’s Power Women in LA honoree.

Mick Penn, Northern California Region Community Relations Director at Swinerton

Mick Penn works for Swinerton as the Northern California Regional Community Relations Director. Mr. Penn spearheads Swinerton’s workforce development, small, diverse, veteran business outreach and community engagement in Northern California. Mr. Penn currently serves on the board of directors of United Playaz, the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council, Cypress Mandela Training Center, Mission Hiring Hall, Construction Industry Education Foundation Board of Trustees, AGC of CA DEI Steering Committee and is a Founder of BuildOUT California. In 2021, Mr. Penn was named the Western Regional Minority Development Council’s Supplier Diversity Leader of the Year and the Associated General Contractors of California’s Construction Education Foundation Friend Award winner.

Mr. Penn has a BA from San Francisco State and a Master of Public Administration from University of San Francisco.

Miriam Benavides, Chief People Officer, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates; NPH Board Member

Miriam Benavides has worked in the affordable housing industry for over 15 years. Miriam provides strategic organizational leadership and oversees the organization’s Human Resources, Risk Management, and Equity and Inclusion Departments. Miriam began her career at SAHA in 2013 as the Director of Human Resources and Operations. Prior to SAHA, Miriam served as the Director of Human Resources and Administration of Satellite Housing, where she played key strategic role in the organization’s merger with Affordable Housing Associates to form SAHA. Miriam’s career in the non-profit field of HR began at The Unity Council.