“One of the state’s top housing nonprofits has a new leader.
One Neighborhood Builders in Providence has named Peter H. Chapman its new president and CEO, replacing Jennifer Hawkins, who recently launched a consulting firm called Farnum Associates.
With no end in sight for the state’s housing crisis, I asked Chapman to tell us more about himself and his vision for One Neighborhood Builders.
Q: You’ve got big shoes to fill at One Neighborhood Builders. What was it about the organization and the state that made you want to apply for the job?
Chapman: That’s for sure! I’m impressed by the quality of work the team has done and the organization’s reputation within the community. One Neighborhood Builders’ evolution into a leading housing development institution in the state and region is impressive, and I see incredible potential to make an even more significant impact in the community. I’m excited to be back in New England; I’m a graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut and Tufts University in Massachusetts, conducted graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and started my career at the Madison Park Development Corporation in Boston. I also spent several years at Abt Global in Cambridge. There’s no place quite like New England!
[…]Q: There has been a lot of transition in the housing space in Rhode Island in recent months. As you come in with a fresh perspective, what are the biggest opportunities and obstacles you see in the state
Chapman: Rhode Island’s slow rate of new home construction continues to be outpaced by demand, exacerbating the housing crisis. Coupled with the inherent financing challenges that often accompany affordable housing developments, we’ve got our work cut out to overcome these obstacles. Fortunately, the state has an incredible group of organizations and people committed to addressing the crisis that seem genuinely interested in exploring creative solutions to these complex challenges, and I’m eager to join them in this work. I see opportunities to think critically about how our developments can leverage additional funding from new sources and also have the greatest impact on economic development within the community.”
