Many affordable housing communities developed and owned by Dominium have a school bus stop on the property. It’s a service for the families who rely on the bus, but for Paul Sween it goes deeper.

“When the children who are our residents get off the bus, we want them to be very proud,” he says. “And, in effect, we want the other students to say, ‘I wish I lived there.’”

This goal has driven Sween, senior managing partner and board member of Dominium, since learning that school officials in one community were making sure students staying at a homeless shelter were the first to be picked up and the last to be dropped off so they wouldn’t feel ashamed in front of their classmates.

Beyond offering shelter, affordable housing developments should provide dignity, according to Sween, who has been at Dominium for 35 years. The son of an electrical engineer and a nurse, both from small Minnesota towns, Sween joined the Minnesota-based firm in 1989 as chief financial officer.

It’s not just the bus but the buck that has stopped with Sween.

Under his leadership, the company has become one of the nation’s largest developers, owners, and managers of affordable housing. Dominium owns approximately 40,000 affordable housing units in more than 200 properties. More than 11,000 seniors and 27,000 families make their home in a Dominium property in 19 states.

Dominium’s notable projects have included preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings into affordable housing, including the conversion of the Pillsbury flour mill into 251 affordable artist lofts in Minneapolis.

“Projects like A-Mill Artist Lofts, championed by Paul Sween, have reimagined affordable housing,” says Jacob Frey, mayor of Minneapolis. “Paul’s vision demonstrates that developers don’t have to sacrifice location and ambience for affordability and safety. His induction into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame is well deserved.”

Beyond Dominium

In 2018, Sween led the formalization of the company’s charitable giving program, building a philanthropic fund and foundation, which provide nearly $4 million in contributions annually, including a $2 million scholarship program for residents.

Sween serves on the board of OIC of America, a national nonprofit that builds economic pathways for people through no-cost workforce training, and is capital campaign co-chair for CommonBond Communities, a Minnesota-based affordable housing nonprofit. He’s also been active in multiple other organizations, including the Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), a longtime nonprofit that advocates for equitable housing policy and provides community development services.

“Paul Sween knows affordable housing development from soup to nuts,” says Chip Halbach, founder and former executive director of MHP. “He has a tremendous understanding of the nuances of project design and financing, as well as a great feel for how demographic and public policy trends impact this development. He also is a skilled leader and brings out the best in those with whom he works or serves on nonprofit boards and committees. To me, what sets Paul apart from many in the field is how he joins these technical and organizational skills with great compassion and caring for property residents as well as for those doing the work of creating and maintaining affordable homes.”

Sween says his involvement with Dominium will not end abruptly but rather will be a “glide path.” New members of the management team have joined the business, while longtime partner Mark Moorhouse is co-managing the company alongside Kyle Hansen, chief operating officer.

Sween continues to be involved in special projects as board chair and intends to devote more time to philanthropic efforts, particularly in the area of income mobility.