Meet Hala Farid, NACEDA's Newest Board Member

 Hala Farid speaks at People & Places 2017

As a new intern at NACEDA, I had a lot of fun talking with the newest member of the NACEDA Board of Directors, Hala Farid. She is Director of Citi Community Development's Office of Homeownership Preservation. Hala is hilarious, dynamic, and very passionate about housing and community development. I’m excited for you all to meet her too. 

April 11, 2018

 

NACEDA is delighted that you joined the Board of Directors. Why did you decide to make this commitment?

NACEDA is an amazing organization in terms of its reach. With 40 state and regional association members in 25 states that have more than 4,000 individual member organizations, NACEDA’s span of influence is vast. By harnessing the knowledge, skills and influence of member organizations, NACEDA has the opportunity to shape national policy conversations.

Why are you so committed to strengthening communities?
My parents were immigrants; my dad, who was a single father, raised my brother and me. He had one dream - to own a home in the United States, his adopted country. For my dad, owning a house was the manifestation of the American Dream and the proof of success. He really instilled that mentality in us. Sadly, he passed away young without experiencing the joy of entering a home he owned. He missed out on the opportunity to be a part of and contribute to a community where you owned a home. For me, homeownership is the cornerstone of a strong viable community, and a way to build assets that can be passed on to future generations. Cohesive, vibrant, inclusive and healthy communities depend on organizations like NACEDA’s membership to thrive.

You’re the second NACEDA Board member that works at a financial institution. How does it feel to hang out with all these community development folks?
My background is in mortgages, housing counseling and community development. I am proud to call myself a community development geek and for me the most comfortable and natural place to be is with my fellow community development partners.

You just moved from Queens to DC. What do you miss most about your community in Queens?
I truly love D.C. and I love living here. It feels so natural for me - there was no ‘transition’ - and I just felt at home from the beginning. This city is architecturally beautiful and its people are amazing. The one thing I miss about my old home is the late night Thai food delivery. In my neighborhood in Queens, I could get any food delivered at any time of the night; late night food delivery is not so readily available in D.C. The good thing is now I am forced to shop and have food in my fridge because if I don’t, it is cardboard for dinner.

Is there anything that surprises you about living in DC?
The people of DC continue to surprise me with their kindness and openness. In the short time I have lived here, I have come to appreciate and truly admire the people of this great city.

Angela Pupino
NACEDA Communications & Program Intern

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