Cover image © Affordable Housing Finance

Our beloved founder, Chairman and CEO Noel Khalil has been honored for his esteemed career and lasting contributions in the 2020 Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. In the article, Noel talks about early influences that shaped him as an entrepreneur, how he began Columbia Residential after the recession of the 90s, how God influenced his career over the past three decades and his enduring pride in the company and its best-in-class team that has grown Columbia Residential to one of the nation’s largest and most successful affordable housing developers.

Noel is praised for his innovative approach to building affordable housing to market rate standards:

“I build to high standards—cathedrals for God’s children. It’s proven to be beneficial financially as well as emotionally. People are coming to beautiful homes that are well landscaped, and very attractive products with functional floor plans that are managed at a high level. We build high-quality housing that happens to be affordable.” — Noel Khalil

Our President, Jim Grauley, also talked about the impact Noel has had on countless people in our industry:

“The inspiration of a personalized example of an American child of immigrants, African-American entrepreneur, business owner, and industry leader cannot be underestimated; and is manifested in staff, colleagues of our company, and in the many young people that Noel has influenced.” — Jim Grauley

Continue reading about Noel’s honor in Affordable Housing Finance magazine »

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