50th Anniversary Stories
What Bart Harvey Learned from His Long Connection to Jim Rouse and Jubilee Housing
Frederick “Bart” Harvey, former Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Community Partners and current Chair of the Calvert Impact Board of Directors, left his lucrative investment banking job in New York to work with Jim Rouse, one of the founders of Jubilee Housing and Enterprise Community Partners.
“It was a six-month sabbatical that turned into 26 years,” Bart says. The plan was to spend six months with Jim and Enterprise, but Bart has remained enmeshed in housing finance ever since. “It was hard to go back to investment banking when you saw something so important.”
Jim Rouse was the initial draw for Bart, but the work being done by Reverend Gordon Cosby and members of the Church of the Saviour had the biggest impact on him. In fact, three church members, Terry Flood, Barbara Moore, and Carolyn Banker, were the ones who went to Jim with the brave, bold idea to purchase and refurbish two dilapidated apartment buildings. He originally rejected their request for financial support because they lacked development, financial, or construction experience. The three young women were undeterred and went forward independently, putting down a non-refundable deposit that they came very close to losing. However, Jim was inspired by their determination and finally helped them complete the purchase in 1973 and begin what is now Jubilee Housing.
The effect Jubilee Housing had on the community led to the formation of Enterprise, which used Jubilee as a model for community transformation.
When Bart arrived at Enterprise, he asked Jim about his plans, and Jim took Bart to the Jubilee community to meet Cosby. Bart was impressed by Cosby’s ability to encourage and support those who were willing to address community issues, whether they possessed the necessary problem-solving skills or not.
“Gordon believed people could make a difference. It wasn’t about expertise; it was about finding people who had heart,” said Bart. “We learned that leading with the heart is first, and expertise is second.”
That people-centric approach, which became integral to Enterprise, has two parts: one, a belief in people to either develop the expertise they need or find it in others and, two, an understanding of the importance of listening to people to truly hear and recognize their needs.
“Jim Rouse knew that it’s critical to make sure the people you want to help are involved in the decision-making,” says Bart. For example, when Jim was designing housing, he brought in mothers and asked what they would change. They said they wanted to be able to see their children playing, so he made the windows lower so they could see out while they were in the kitchen. “Listen, think, and figure out how people want to live. It was about respecting the dignity of the human spirit at all ages,” says Bart.
During Bart’s tenure at Enterprise, he utilized the insight he gained from Jim, Cosby, and the Church of the Saviour throughout his career. At Enterprise, Bart created a conference that brought thousands of leaders from different organizations together to learn from each other and about the needs of various communities.
When Bart was leaving Enterprise, it was the idea of a leader with heart that helped him find an appropriate successor. “The real legacy is the wisdom that came from those early leaders,” he said.
Jim Rouse, Gordon Cosby, and the Jubilee community hold a special place in Bart’s heart. Before the fateful experience of joining Jim at Enterprise, Bart lived a life where expertise and success mattered the most, but through those early experiences, he learned to define success in a new way. “Jim showed me that purpose in life is much more fun than just succeeding, and it’s even better yet if you can do both,” he said.
After a long history of creating a life of purpose, success, and connection, Bart has advice for others.
“All of life is a journey. There are no straight lines. It’s important to examine your life and ask yourself how you want to live in the world. And, yes, it’s important to think about making a difference, but you also must consider your needs and the needs of your family so that you have something to offer. Jim Rouse understood that.”
In April 2024, Enterprise Community Partners celebrated its one millionth home created since 1982!