Nonprofit has created over 7,500 affordable homes in California since 1998
SAN DIEGO–Longtime affordable housing advocate Rebecca Louie assumes leadership this week as the new President and CEO of Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation, a Southern California-based nonprofit that has created more than 7,500 affordable homes for low-income people over the past two decades.
Ms. Louie will oversee an organization with an annual budget of $6 million, a staff of 44 employees in San Diego and Los Angeles, nine developments currently under construction and a portfolio of 41 affordable housing communities throughout California.
Wakeland’s Board of Directors selected her to succeed founding President and CEO, Ken Sauder, who is retiring after 23 years in which he helped build the organization into a leading developer of affordable housing in California.
“Under Ken’s leadership, Wakeland Housing has been a great partner to the City of San Diego in building high-quality affordable homes for lower-income families,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “I’m thrilled that Rebecca Louie will be taking the baton from Ken and know she’ll run with it without missing a step. Rebecca clearly understands how a stable home is the foundation for success in all facets of life.”
Ms. Louie previously served as Wakeland’s Vice President and COO and has been with the nonprofit since 2005, overseeing the operation of 41 affordable housing communities and managing the development of over 2,200 homes for families, seniors, veterans, transition-age youth and people who have experienced homelessness.
A Native Alaskan and a member of the Tlingit-Haida tribe, Ms. Louie is widely known as a strong advocate for affordable housing, social and environmental justice, and homelessness through her work at Wakeland and past employers, including the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the Center on Policy Initiatives, and United Indian Nations Community Development Corporation. She is the current Board Chair for the San Diego Housing Federation.
“I passionately believe in what we do and the amazing team of people at Wakeland. Affordable housing is the solution to most problems – from homelessness to low school achievement to poor health,” said Ms. Louie. “Again and again throughout the years I’ve worked in this industry, I’ve seen how affordable housing has transformed people’s lives. My mission as the new CEO of Wakeland is to continue to build as much affordable housing as possible and to bring new resources into this sector so that our residents can thrive.”
ABOUT WAKELAND
Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation is a leader in the creation and operation of affordable housing in California, delivering high-quality residential developments that address the needs of the communities we serve. Since we started in 1998, we have created and preserved more than 7,500 affordable homes at 53 properties throughout the state, each of which showcases our commitment to building and operating high-quality housing communities with superior onsite programs and services for residents.
