CHICAGO (Feb. 17, 2022) – Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) today announced the hire of Traci Sanders as director in its Chicago office. A Chicago native who joins the organization from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Sanders brings nearly 15 years of experience in policy, urban design and strategic planning to Enterprise.

“Traci’s broad range of skills, coupled with her deep knowledge of the Chicago housing landscape and passion for creating positive change in her hometown, make her the perfect fit to lead our work in Chicago,” said Melinda Clemons, vice president and Central Midwest market leader, Enterprise. “We are thrilled to welcome such a talented leader to Enterprise and know that she is exceptionally suited to help us pursue our mission to advance equity and affordability in the region.”

Enterprise’s Chicago office has worked with partners and funders to create or preserve affordable homes for more than 18,000 families by leveraging more than $1.1 billion in capital. She will lead a range of impactful programs, including:

  • The Chicago Flats Initiative (CFI), which supports preservation of affordable, quality housing in small buildings with 2-4 units, a critically important part of Chicago’s housing stock;
  • Elevated Chicago, a collaboration of Chicago residents, community-based organizations and City Agencies working to support the advancement of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development; and
  • Efforts to address racial inequities in housing and the real estate industry, including Enterprise’s nationwide Equitable Path Forward initiative to increase access to capital for BIPOC-led real estate developers.

“Every Chicago resident should reap the benefit of investments made in their communities, especially as housing and infrastructure investments bring better access to resources in our region. I am so excited to bring Enterprise’s resources to bear to contribute to that effort,” said Sanders. “I am committed to joining with our many partners—and building new relationships—to address the consequences of inequality experienced by residents of historically Black and Latino communities while supporting and uplifting community-building and culture.”

Sanders most recently served as deputy director for strategic planning and reporting at the Illinois Housing Development Authority, where she supported urban policy and real estate development activities. Earlier in her career, Sanders was the director of civic impact at WXY architecture + urban design, where she developed business strategies for clients in the urban development sector, and also worked at New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy supporting its research on housing policy.

Sanders holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a Master of Urban Planning degree from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.

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