Reigniting Hope: How Our Industry Forges Ahead No Matter the Challenges
How can our industry remain strategic and future-oriented regardless of uncertain and volatile political and economic environments? How can we harness our collective power and expertise to keep building, preserving, and operating the affordable homes that our Bay Area communities need?
A panel of place-based, regional, and state nonprofit affordable housing leaders from across the Bay Area will share how they’re reimagining and reigniting hope for the opportunities that lie ahead for our industry. Expect to gain perspective and fresh hope for the ways we can continue to drive lasting change and impact. Despite the existential threats of the federal landscape and growing cynicism, we can remain anchored in our collective strength and timeless values of homes, affordability, community, and inclusion for everyone.
About Our Panel
Keynote Moderator
Shola Olatoye
Chief Operating Officer, Eden Housing
Shola Olatoye, an experienced real estate executive, is the Chief Operating Officer at Eden Housing.
As COO, Shola oversees operations across Eden’s 11,000-unit affordable housing portfolio in California. Before joining Eden, Shola was Director of Housing and Community Development for Oakland. She led efforts to create and preserve more than 17,000 units of housing. Before relocating to California, Shola served as CEO of the New York City Housing Authority, the largest public housing authority in the nation. Shola worked in the private and nonprofit sectors, holding senior roles at Enterprise Community Partners, HSBC Bank N.A., and HR&A Advisors.
Currently, Shola serves as the Board President for the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) and sits on many other boards.
Shola earned her B.A. with honors in History and African American Studies from Wesleyan University and her M.P.A. from NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Keynote Speakers
Tiffany Bohee
President, Mercy Housing California
Tiffany Bohee is President of Mercy Housing California, one of the state’s largest affordable housing nonprofits. She oversees real estate development, fundraising, resident services, and policy efforts supporting over 12,000 units and 5,000 homes in development. With more than 20 years of experience, Bohee has held senior roles at Lendlease and the San Francisco Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII). At Lendlease, she led mixed-income, sustainable developments. As Executive Director of OCII, she oversaw the revitalization of Mission Bay, Transbay, and Hunters Point Shipyard, delivering thousands of affordable homes. Named one of the Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times, Bohee is recognized for driving equitable, community-centered growth. She holds a B.A. in politics from Princeton University.
Janelle Chan
Chief Executive Officer, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)
Janelle Chan has over two decades of public-private leadership experience in housing and community economic development at the local, state, and national levels. She has deep expertise in affordable housing development, equitable transit-oriented development, and government and nonprofit management. Janelle is the CEO of East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), which has served Oakland and the greater East Bay community for 50 years. EBALDC is the largest private provider of affordable housing in Oakland and the East Bay’s largest nonprofit provider of commercial space, supporting over 114 small businesses and non-profits, and serving over 6,000 residents and neighbors.
She has served as housing director, Undersecretary of the MA Dept. Of HCD, and Chief Real Estate for the MBTA. Janelle earned her MA in City Planning from M.I.T.
Janelle and her family are proud Oakland residents, with Bay Area roots that run back to the 1800s.
Matthew O. Franklin
President & Chief Executive Officer, MidPen Housing
Matthew O. “Matt” Franklin is a nationally recognized leader in affordable housing, serving as the President and CEO of MidPen Housing since 2008. Under his leadership, MidPen has become one of the country’s top nonprofit housing organizations, amassing a portfolio of more than 10,000 affordable homes and assets totaling $3.2 billion.
Matt spearheads MidPen’s strategic initiatives, centered on expanding housing production, providing new opportunities for residents, and advocating for affordable housing resources and systems change. He takes pride in leading a talented team of 600 mission-driven professionals.
With an extensive public- and private-sector background, Matt previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development; and Director of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing. He is currently Board President of the NPH Action Fund and a Director of the Housing Partnership Network.
Vivian Wan
Chief Executive Officer, Abode
As chief executive officer of Abode’s family of agencies, Vivian leads Abode Housing Development, Abode Services, and Abode Property Management. Vivian has been a leader at Abode for 19 years, transforming a small nonprofit group into an industry leader now serving more than 17,000 people experiencing homelessness each year. Further, Vivian has overseen the creation of more than 1,200 apartment homes across 20 Bay Area developments. Her passion for ending homelessness and dedication to affordable housing access have expanded Abode’s impact throughout eight Bay Area counties. Vivian’s deep understanding of Abode’s complex and effective operations make her uniquely qualified to lead local housing and homelessness response efforts.
Vivian holds a Master’s degree from UC Berkeley in Social Welfare, Management and Planning. She currently serves on the boards of Santa Clara County Continuum of Care, the Alameda County EveryOne Home Leadership, and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California.