By LISC Stories, LISC LA

Affordable housing remains one of California’s most urgent and complex challenges. Addressing it requires not only funding and policy solutions, but also strong partnerships and a well-equipped workforce. In a recent conversation with Chad Horsford, Director of Financial Consulting at the California Housing Partnership (CHP), we explored his career journey, the importance of training programs like LISC’s Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI), powered by Merritt Community Capital, and how collaboration and capacity building are shaping the future of housing in California.

A Career Shaped by Opportunity and Exposure

Horsford’s path into affordable housing began with LISC’s Cashin Fellows program in New York City, a leadership initiative designed to introduce students and recent graduates to careers in community development. Through the program, Horsford worked with the Fifth Avenue Committee, a community development corporation in South Brooklyn.