March 6, 2023
Photo Credit: Halistry
Cabelli brings staunch commitment to advancing housing affordability and DE&I
Alexandria, VA – March 6, 2023: Wesley Housing has selected Judith Cabelli as Vice President of Real Estate Development, effective March 6, 2023. Ms. Cabelli is advancing into the senior management team role previously held by Kamilah McAfee, who became President/CEO in January.
Cabelli has risen through the organization’s ranks over more than 12 years of service. She is a seasoned affordable housing real estate development leader with experience overseeing and managing a variety of development types including garden style and elevator buildings, multifamily, and senior communities for preservation and new construction. Her development know-how includes entitlement, legal and financial structuring, project design, financial equity placement, construction process, lease-up, and loan conversion for a variety of developments. In addition, she possesses experience structuring development financing using Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) including 9%, 4% and 9%/4% hybrid, historic deals.
Serving in numerous roles during her initial tenure with Wesley Housing from 2009-2020 and Director of Real Estate Development from 2022-2023, she has made her mark within the regional affordable housing industry. Highlights include: 1) increasing affordability of Wexford Manor Apartments (74-units) through re-syndication after year 15 to ensure long-term preservation of the existing LIHTC community; and 2) working directly with congregation members, school officials, and neighborhood groups for The Waypoint at Fairlington, an 81-unit community, leading up to construction closing, ultimately achieving approval of the Development Special Use Permit (DSUP) and applying for and receiving Alexandria City pre-development and subordinate loans, vouchers, and a 9% LIHTC allocation.
Most recently, Ms. Cabelli shepherded entitlement and zoning approval of land in Fairfax County to be redeveloped into a 95-unit community for older adults in partnership with First Christian Church of Falls Church. In addition, she directed predevelopment activities for The Lamb Center-Wesley Housing Permanent Supportive Housing community in Fairfax City (54 units), which recently received commitments of $5.6M and $700k from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) Fund and City of Fairfax Housing Trust Fund, respectively.
“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of watching Judith grow into a highly knowledgeable, respected, and committed member of the affordable housing industry,” said Wesley Housing President/CEO Kamilah McAfee. “Not only am I confident she will drive our real estate development goals through cross-functional collaboration, but she will bring a strong commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the organization.”
Prior to returning to Wesley Housing in April 2022, Cabelli worked as a director for Fairfax County in the agency’s affordable housing development division. In her role, she supported FCRHA and implemented/managed multiple working groups and task forces, such as the Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force, Affordable Housing Advisory Council, Work Force Dwelling Unit Task Force, and Manufactured Housing Task Force.
About Wesley Housing: Wesley Housing, a leading nonprofit developer in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, has been working to provide affordable rental housing for individuals and families for nearly 50 years. Since its founding, Wesley Housing has emerged as a premier developer of affordable housing. Wesley Housing has acquired or developed over 2,900 rental units, providing quality housing for thousands of at-risk persons each year. Wesley Housing supplements housing with supportive services to build up the lives of its residents, including low- and moderate-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities and/or chronic disease. For more information, please visit www.wesleyhousing.org and follow @WesleyHousing on social media.
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