Tom Gibson started his career in affordable housing following active duty with the Marine Corps, working at the District of Columbia’s Department of Housing and Community Development and then the deputy mayor’s office.
For the past three years, he has been helping preserve and rehabilitate affordable housing with Community Preservation Partners (CPP). As director of special projects, he oversees complex deals in multiple states that include occupied rehabilitations, adaptive-reuse projects, and even new construction.
“It really does come down to meeting the residents and seeing their reaction when the property is complete. These projects truly are transformations. I don’t think the residents can fully comprehend how different the project will be, and, when it’s complete, the overall sentiment of the community is very much improved,” he says. “We’re able to address items like security, safety, and aesthetics that really provide a sense of pride for the residents that they didn’t have before. They really take ownership of the property, and that’s really great to see.”
Gibson cites a current project in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, that holds a special place for him. Right before CPP was to close on the 204-unit Cambridge Square Apartments, one of the buildings with 28 units was lost in a fire. In addition to rehabbing the existing units, a new community building will provide space for resident meetings and gatherings, and a new building will be constructed to replace the lost units.
“Many residents were displaced, and we had to start from scratch with new architectural plans. We were able to move very quickly so that we could close as soon as possible and move these residents back there,” he says. “The project will be substantially completed in December. In fact, we’re ahead of schedule right now.”
The military continues to play a critical role in his life. Earlier this year, he was promoted to the rank of major in the Marine Corps Reserves.
“I was deployed mid-career. I feel that in many ways that sort of set me back. But I’m also very proud of the support I’ve been given in the affordable housing community, especially with CPP,” he says. “I’m an active reservist so I drill one weekend a month and sometimes that requires me to miss a few days. They are very supportive of that. I’m really happy that I’m able to continue serving given the demands of affordable housing.”
Gibson also is a leader on veteran housing issues.
He just finished serving eight years, including one year as chair, on the board of Virginia Housing. With the state having a large veteran population and Virginia Housing having some programs that benefit the population, he was appointed by the governor in 2016; at the time, he was the youngest person to be appointed to the board.
“I’m always trying to bring more veterans into the fold when it comes to affordable housing. It’s not an industry that has attracted a lot of veterans. I hope through the work I’m doing that more veterans will become interested,” he says. “I also want to create more affordable housing for veteran populations. That is something I’m passionate about and would like to do more of.”
The 40-year-old and his wife recently had a daughter, and he enjoys spending time with his family.
