I am excited and grateful to be the new Chief Executive Officer of NeighborWorks Capital! I joined this great team after spending 30 years in the affordable housing and community development industry, focused on most aspects of the business, including single-family lending, multifamily lending, community development, tax credit syndication, real estate development, and capital markets.
In my first month here, I have often been asked, “Why NeighborWorks Capital?”
The short answer is that I joined NeighborWorks Capital because I believe the NeighborWorks America network is the best force to achieve community impact in our industry. I want to use my experience to help the network grow its impact. I am here because I believe in this network’s ability to change individual lives and transform hundreds of communities. You are community focused and have signed up to be part of a community of accountability and support through your affiliation with NeighborWorks America. I applaud that. I believe in the work YOU do every day, and I want to do everything I can to support your organization. That may sound like a marketing statement, but it is true.
Like many of you, I became involved in this industry unintentionally. I grew up in affordable housing, and my father’s long struggle with addiction dominated the first 21 years of my life. It was a precarious and uncomfortable existence, but many families I lived near faced similar challenges, so for many years, it was all I knew. It is not what I would have wished for, but it shaped me and provided a drive to change my circumstances, and for that, I am thankful. I was the first member of my extended family to attend college, and my single purpose at that point was to live a different life in a quiet and safe place. At that point, I had no focus on working to achieve a greater good.
My first position out of college was in the banking industry, but I felt unfulfilled. I accepted a job with the Delaware State Housing Authority to learn capital markets and quickly became invested in the housing & community development industry. It resonated with me because I could see the impact the first-time homebuyer work was having in the lives of people needing an opportunity. I could tie the work back to the benefits it could have had in the lives of the families I knew growing up. Interestingly, my first exposure to a community-focused organization was with NCALL, a member of the NeighborWorks America network. Once I understood the impact of my day-to-day work, I never looked back. I invested my talents at a state housing finance agency (10 years), Fannie Mae (10 years), and a regional CDFI/tax credit syndicator (10 years). I have been fortunate to be involved in some transformational work. If you want to learn more, read the “about” section of my LinkedIn page: Jim Peffley | LinkedIn
All that to say: I believe in the work you do! It is an honor to have the opportunity to support your teams. I look forward to meeting you and working with you to help achieve your vision. Feel free to reach out anytime. You can reach me reached at jpeffley@neighborworkscapital.org or 302-547-0873. Please do!
