Center for Community Progress Welcomes Four Visionary Leaders to Board of Directors

Luis Gallardo, E. Bomani Johnson, Christa Stoneham, and Ernst Valery join the Community Progress board of directors.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) is pleased to welcome to its board of directors Luis Gallardo, executive director of the Center for Habitat Reconstruction; E. Bomani Johnson, senior director for special initiatives of ABFE; Christa Stoneham, president and CEO of the Houston Land Bank; and Ernst Valery, co-managing member of SAA | EVI. These new board members bring a wealth of expertise in affordable housing, philanthropy, community development, and equitable real estate investment.

Luis Gallardo is Executive Director of the Center for Habitat Reconstruction, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the conversion of vacant and abandoned properties for affordable housing, resiliency, and community development. Gallardo has ample experience as a consultant for nonprofits, community-based organizations, and city governments on issues of property rights, nuisance abatement, and municipal law.

E. Bomani Johnson is the senior director for special initiatives of ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities, where he furthers the organization’s mission to promote effective, responsive philanthropy in Black communities. He previously cofounded and served as executive director of the Nafasi Fund, a fiscal sponsor that focused on supporting Black-led organizations and projects serving Black communities.

Christa Stoneham is the president and CEO of the Houston Land Bank, where she leads transformative initiatives to repurpose over $100 million worth of vacant and underutilized land into affordable housing and vibrant community spaces. Her work focuses on addressing critical urban challenges such as affordable housing, environmental justice, and sustainable development, with an emphasis on empowering underserved communities.

Ernst Valery is a co-managing member of SAA | EVI, a real estate development and investment firm on the forefront of equitable community development and creating affordable housing. He is the founder and president of SAA | EVI affiliate Ernst Valery Investments Corp. (EVI), a private, minority-owned real estate investment firm established in 2001. EVI invests in select underserved and undervalued key emerging domestic real estate markets, defined as urban transitional areas with high residential and retail demand.

Community Progress is excited for the fresh perspectives, innovative strategies, and deep commitment to community-centered revitalization that these individuals will contribute to our work addressing vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties nationwide. Community Progress President and CEO Kathleen J. Guillaume-Delemar said, “I am thrilled to welcome Luis, Bomani, Christa, and Ernst to our board of directors. Each of them brings a unique set of experiences and a shared passion for people by creating stronger, more equitable communities. Their leadership, especially at this pivotal time, will help advance our mission to transform vacant and abandoned properties into assets that support vibrant neighborhoods and thriving communities.”

The Community Progress Board of Directors is chaired by Donald Phoenix who, prior to his retirement, had a distinguished career with NeighborWorks America serving as Regional Vice President and oversaw financial and technical services to network organizations in 13 states and DC.

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About Community Progress: The Center for Community Progress helps people to transform vacant spaces into vibrant places. Since 2010, their team of experts has provided urban, suburban, and rural communities battling systemic vacancy with the policies, tools, and resources needed to address the full cycle of property revitalization. As the only national nonprofit dedicated to tackling vacant properties, Community Progress drives change by uncovering and disrupting the unjust, racist systems that perpetuate entrenched vacancy and property deterioration. Community Progress has delivered customized, expert guidance to leaders in over 300 communities and provided hundreds of hours of free educational resources as well as leadership programming to help policymakers, practitioners, and community members across the country return properties to productive use. To learn more and get help for your community, visit communityprogress.org.