June 6, 2025
Community Housing Partners (CHP), which provides affordable and sustainable homes throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, has entered into a partnership with Entryway, a nonprofit that helps people who’ve experienced housing insecurity find steady jobs in the real estate industry. Together, they’re working to tackle two major challenges at once—finding good employees and helping people get back on their feet with stable housing.
Laura Croft, CHP’s Vice President of Human Capital, first heard about Entryway through the Housing Partnership Network, where another organization shared its positive experience. “I thought it would be a good option for finding new candidates and also a good fit with our mission,” Croft said.
CHP staff members hope this partnership will help them connect with job candidates who may not have access to traditional job opportunities, but who are ready to work and grow in a supportive environment. It’s also a way for the organization to provide housing to someone in need, which is at the heart of what CHP does.
This partnership dovetails a new effort from Freddie Mac, one of the nation’s largest housing finance organizations. Freddie Mac has introduced a program that encourages developers like CHP to reserve an apartment for someone in an employment-based housing program like Entryway when financing a new affordable housing project. This creates more options for participants in the program to not only get a job but also a safe place to live.
So far, CHP has hired one person through Entryway and is staying in close contact with regional partners to find more good fits for future roles. The program is a team effort between CHP’s Human Capital and Property Management departments, who make sure new hires have the support they need.
Looking ahead, CHP hopes to bring even more Entryway candidates into the organization. “We’re always looking for people who are the right match for our open jobs,” said Croft. “We’d love to keep growing this partnership.”
One aspect of Entryway that makes the program stand out is the support it offers after someone is hired. Participants receive ongoing help for their first year on the job, which makes the transition easier and gives them a better shot at long-term success. For CHP, this added support could also help reduce turnover and create stronger teams.
The partnership was recently featured at a Freddie Mac conference focused on affordable housing, where CHP’s experience with Entryway was shared with other lenders and developers. This is part of a growing conversation about how housing organizations can also help people build careers and stability.
Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through its mission to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, CHP has been a leading advocate of affordable housing development for 50 years. CHP’s activities include real estate development, construction, energy services and training, asset management, property management, realty and homeownership, and comprehensive resident services.