On January 20, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) announced the appointment of three new members to its Affordable Housing Advisory Council, as well as two reappointments. With the addition of a seat dedicated to advising on tribal housing, the council now consists of 14 representatives from state, community and nonprofit organizations in FHLB Dallas’ five-state district. They are appointed by the FHLB Dallas board of directors and advise the board on affordable housing and economic development issues. All appointees serve three-year terms.

One of the new members to the council is Bobby Wilkinson, executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in Austin. He will serve on the council as the housing finance representative. TDHCA administers funding and other assistance for affordable housing development and community-based services with the help of for-profit and nonprofit organizations and local governments. Prior to joining TDHCA, Wilkinson served as an advisor to Texas Governor Greg Abbott on housing policy and filled other roles in the Abbott administration’s budget and policy division.

The other two new members are Mississippi representative Daniel Boggs, CEO of the Greenville, Mississippi-based Greater Greenville Housing & Revitalization Association Inc., and Isaac Perez in the newly created position of tribal housing representative. Perez has served as the executive director of San Felipe Pueblo Housing Authority in New Mexico for more than 22 years.

Reappointments to the Affordable Housing Advisory Council include Louisiana representative Charla Blake, executive director for Project Build a Future in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and New Mexico representative Nicole Martinez, executive director of the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

“The diverse expertise and strong community leadership of our newly appointed and continuing council members will provide invaluable insight as we work to address affordable housing and economic development challenges across our district,” says Greg Hettrick, senior vice president and director of community investment at FHLB Dallas.

The other members of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas’ Affordable Housing Advisory Council are:

• Jeff Curry (advisory council chair), director of development at JL Gray Co. Inc. in Las Cruces, New Mexico;
• Jim Petty (advisory council vice chair), president and CEO of Strategic Realty Developers Inc. in Van Buren, Arkansas;
• Nicole Barnes, executive director of the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative in New Orleans, Louisiana;
• Kelly Criswell, director of regional services and economic development for the South Plains Association of Governments in Lubbock;
• Calvin King Sr., founder and executive director of the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corp. in Brinkley, Arkansas;
• David Long, president of the Texas State Affordable Housing Corp. in Austin;
• Carla Mancha, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville, Texas;
• Chris Monforton, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast in Gulfport, Mississippi; and
• Deborah Welchel, Texas vice president/real estate development for Volunteers of America National Services in Austin.