Panelist at National Building Conference
Local developer Carol J. Ornelas of Visionary Home Builders
invited panelist at national building conference
(Stockton) Stockton businesswoman and developer, Carol J. Ornelas served as a panelist at the 2009 NeighborhoodWorks America Conference “Rising to the Challenge: Stabilizing Communities in the Wake of Foreclosure” held in Washington DC on December 9, 2009. Ornelas, CEO of Visionary Home Builders in Stockton, served with other housing experts speaking on the subject: “Getting Down to Brass Tacks: Case Studies in Property Acquisition/Disposition.” Property acquisition-disposition is a key strategy for Neighborhood Stabilization Program grantees, and one of the most challenging. Panelists presented ideas to build long-term sustainability to communities, given local and regional market conditions.
Ornelas is an advocate for providing quality “affordable housing” for families within the tri-county area (San Joaquin, Sacramento and Stanislaus). For the past 20 years, she has been the Chief Executive Officer for Visionary Home Builders of California, formerly ACLC, Inc.; a non-profit residential development company headquartered in Stockton, Ca. She serves with distinction as one of a few female housing developers in the Central Valley.
A licensed general contractor and an expert in her field of development, Ornelas is highly recognized as a leader within the community. Her strength is in building and creating partnerships with citizens of the community, and collaborating with local city, state officials and other agencies to provide quality “affordable housing” for the communities she serves. Under her direct leadership, Visionary Home Builders has built and rehabilitated over 1000 units of rental housing and more than 500 residential homes for first time homebuyers within the San Joaquin Valley.
Currently her organization has received funds to implement the Neighborhood Stabilization Program for the City of Stockton and the County of San Joaquin. Stockton has received national attention and has been considered “ground zero” of foreclosures. Her organization has assisted over 1,500 families through the foreclosure or loan modification process. Visionary Home Builders has brought more than $250 million dollars in grants and private dollars to develop affordable housing in the valley. VHB is a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency. For more information contact Carol J. Ornelas at 209-466-6811 or visit the website at www.visionaryhomebuilders.org.
NeighborhoodWorks, the conference organizer, is a national non-profit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. Together with national and local partners, NeighborWorks creates new opportunities for residents while improving communities. The NeigborhoodWorks American Conference is designed to focus on comprehensive, sustainable policy and planning actions. Sessions highlight innovative financing, property acquisition and development strategies aimed at helping organizations and communities improve and advance neighborhood stabilization, with a long-term goal of vibrant sustainability. (For further information www/nw.org)
