2019 Silver SPUR Awards: How Jane Graf Pursues Her Belief That Housing Is a Human Right

The 2019 Silver SPUR Awards, held on October 22, recognized individuals whose achievements have made San Francisco and the Bay Area a better place to live and work.

 

Jane Graf is president and CEO of Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest affordable housing organizations. She has worked for Mercy since 1993, first expanding its portfolio to include supportive housing for formerly homeless people. Jane presided over three organizational mergers that expanded Mercy’s reach statewide and greatly increased its affordable housing portfolio. Over the past 26 years, her role has expanded to include president of the western region, chief operating officer of the national organization and most recently president and CEO.

Jane began her career in not-for-profit housing development in Oregon in 1978 through her involvement in housing issues affecting persons with disabilities. Later, she developed one of the first Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties in San Francisco, Peter Claver Community, which was also the first residential facility to serve persons with AIDS.

Jane serves on the boards of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, National Affordable Housing Trust and National Equity Fund.

 

Learn about our other 2019 honorees:

How Michael Krasny's Storytelling Informs and Engages San Francisco

How Ninive Calegari Infuses Care Into Education

How Charles M. Collins Empowers Children From All Backgrounds