After serving 22 years as founder/CEO of the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Jennifer McGovern said she plans to retire in summer 2025.
The Board of Directors said it is “grateful for her unwavering visionary leadership and dedication which have profoundly shaped the organization and the landscape of affordable housing in the Santa Barbara community.”
The Housing Trust Fund was created by countywide community leaders to address our region’s critical affordable housing needs by building innovative financial partnerships between the private, public and nonprofit sectors.
“Jennifer has been a remarkable champion for affordable housing in Santa Barbara County – a thought leader as well as someone who gets things done – and it is because of her dedication that 98 households have reached first-time homeownership since inception,” said Luis Villegas, chair of the Board of Directors.
Under McGovern’s leadership, the agency said it developed and innovated programs such as the Revolving Loan Fund for affordable housing production and the Workforce Homebuyer Program, and more recently she has spearheaded housing innovations through the development of Santa Barbara County’s first 3D-printed affordable home.
The 3D project is in partnership with 3D builder, Apis Cor, and is finalizing its building permit and funding commitments. The project includes a partnership with Cambridge Drive Community Church in Goleta, where the project will be located.
With a career spanning 48 years, McGovern has been committed to affordable housing development and finance.
Her achievements extend beyond her current role. She was the founding executive director of the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH) in Los Angeles, where she led state and local housing policy and advocacy efforts, developed technical assistance programs, and facilitated education and training initiatives.
She also founded and served as executive director of the Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation. Her role in establishing the Coastal Housing Partnership and coordinating the Goleta Housing Leadership Council also furthered affordable and workforce housing opportunities throughout the region.
“It has been my great privilege and honor to have worked with others to expand affordable and workforce rental and homeownership opportunities for the residents of Santa Barbara County,” McGovern said.
“None of this could have been accomplished without the steadfast support of great community partners, including lenders, foundations and funders, government and affordable housing providers,” she said.
McGovern’s plans for retirement include staying in Santa Barbara and focusing her creative energy on singing, songwriting and playing the guitar.
She said she will continue to partner with The Housing Trust Fund in a limited capacity to further the completion of the 3D home development in Goleta and will remain active in the community in this capacity.
The hiring committee of the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County has launched an executive search for a successor CEO, as the organization strengthens and continues its work in the region during this critical time.
To learn more about this career opportunity visit www.sbhousingtrust.org/CAREERS.