Jubilee Housing is proud to announce the hiring of William Highsmith as the organization’s first chief operating officer (COO).
Highsmith brings over 18 years of experience in affordable housing and real estate to Jubilee’s team. Prior to joining Jubilee Housing, he served as the vice president and COO of the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors, director of development for Enterprise Community Partners, and vice president at Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners. As the co-founder of the 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, D.C. chapter, he has continuously championed equity in opportunity for D.C.’s African-American youth.
When asked why he believes D.C. needs justice housing Highsmith explained, “Washington, D.C., continues to wrestle with the issue of creating adequate affordable housing opportunities. This challenge is magnified right here in Adams Morgan. We need walk no farther than a block from Jubilee Housing’s offices to find one-bedroom apartments renting in excess of $2,200 a month. The reality is we have neighbors – many lifelong D.C. residents – who face the possibility of being priced out of their homes. I’m happy to be a part of the Jubilee Housing team, as we work towards the preservation of existing and development of more justice housing opportunities here in the Adams Morgan community, so that those who desire to stay and others who want to connect to this community have that option.”
As the COO of Jubilee Housing, Highsmith will work alongside Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing president and CEO, to help drive forward Jubilee’s Five-Year Justice Housing Plan. The new COO will also help fine-tune Jubilee’s existing systems and processes, while developing new strategies and policies.
“We are honored to have Bill join the team as Jubilee’s first chief operating officer,” said Knight. “I look forward to working closely with him on the continued implementation of Jubilee’s Five-Year Plan and on improvements to our overall operations. He’s already hit the ground running, and we are excited about his participation in our future.”
The Jubilee Housing team is delighted to have someone with Highsmith’s breadth of knowledge and commitment to equity come onboard.