Jane Graf began her career in not-for-profit housing development in Oregon in 1978 through her involvement in housing issues affecting persons with disabilities. In 1981, she founded Specialized Housing, Inc., a not-for-profit housing development corporation that served persons with developmental disabilities throughout the State of Oregon. During her 6 year tenure as Executive Director with Specialized Housing, Jane developed over 30 properties across that State of Oregon designed specifically to house adults with special needs due to their disabilities. In 1987, Jane joined Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco as the Director of Housing Development and doubled its production of affordable housing over the next 6 years. Among her most notable accomplishments during that time, was the development of 111 Jones Street, a 108 unit family complex, the first new construction family housing developed in the Tenderloin, in a 9 story high-rise building. As part of a merger in 1993 between the housing development department of Catholic Charities and Mercy Housing, Jane joined Mercy Housing as the President of the California region. In 1999, her role expanded to include the entire Western Region which resulted in her appointment as Sr.Vice President of Mercy Housing and expanded her duties to include the role of President of Intercommunity Housing, the Washington State affiliate of Mercy Housing and President of Mercy Housing Idaho, the Idaho affiliate of Mercy Housing. During her 14 year tenure with Mercy Housing, Jane has provided leadership and oversight to the development of more than 12,000 units of affordable housing in California, Idaho and Washington. In addition to serving low and very low income families, senior citizens, persons who are homeless and people with special needs including physical and mental disabilities and HIV/AIDS, Jane’s tenure with Mercy Housing has provided homeownership units to over 3,000 low income families in California and Idaho and the revitalization of over 186,000 square feet of commercial space in challenging neighborhoods throughout California of which 110,000 square feet are in San Francisco neighborhoods. Since 1987, when she began her work in affordable housing in San Francisco with Catholic Charities, Jane’s impact on the increased stock of affordable housing in the City has been notable. In that 20 year time frame, Jane added 24 properties to Mercy’s San Francisco portfolio for a total of 29 properties in 2007. By 2010, that number will increase to 35 affordable housing developments in the City of San Francisco, establishing Mercy Housing as a leading producer of affordable housing in the region. During Jane’s tenure in California, Mercy Housing California has received national recognition including the 1995 Non-profit Sector Award from the National Alliance to End Homelessness; the 1997 Metropolitan Life Foundation Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing; between 1998 and 2007, 3 Golden Nugget Award including Best Affordable Housing Development; Best Senior Housing Development and Best Mixed Use Development from the Western Builder Conference; the HUD Best Practices Award for Heritage Homes in 1999; and a finalist for the I. Donald Terner Prize for Innovation and Leadership in Affordable Housing in 2007. In 2006, Jane personally received the Catherine T. Bauer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Non Profit Housing Association of Northern California for her work in affordable housing. Board affiliations include: President of the Board of Jelani House, Inc., of San Francisco; member of the ABCD Advisory Committee of the Low Income Investment Fund; past Chair of the Housing Advisory Council for the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, member of the board of directors of Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services and member and past president of Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California. Jane received a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota. |