Changemaker: Kevin Marchman
In 1978, while attending graduate school at University of Colorado Denver, Kevin Marchman began an internship at CHFA. He held this role for a year and half, inputting information to process single family loan applications at CHFA’s first location on Grant Street in Denver. Not long after completing his studies and earning a master’s degree in public administration, Kevin was hired full-time as an Assistant Housing Development Officer.
“Back then, there weren’t many folks like myself doing that work,” he recalled. “I was this young Black guy talking to ranchers out on the Western Slope. I found the work absolutely fascinating. That’s where I took the time to learn about bonds and discovered my affinity for numbers and finance.”
During the decade he spent working at CHFA, Kevin also held several roles supporting multifamily affordable housing development throughout Colorado. Kevin eventually became Assistant to the Executive Director and later Deputy Executive Director under David Herlinger.
In 1987, Kevin left CHFA to begin work on Denver Mayor Frederico Peña’s 1987 reelection campaign. When Peña won reelection to a second term, Kevin served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the mayoral cabinet, leveraging his experience in housing and community development to act as a liaison to CHFA, Denver Housing Authority, and Denver Urban Renewal Authority. He was also involved in the development of Denver’s affirmative action office and the city’s annexing of land to build Denver International Airport.
When the position of Executive Director of Denver Housing Authority (DHA) opened, Kevin applied and was hired for the role. A key aspect of his work at DHA involved the redevelopment of housing stock in DHA’s portfolio and working to change the public perception of affordable housing in the community. He recalled visiting North Lincoln, a public housing development near DHA’s headquarters. He decided to spend a week in a vacant unit on the property to better understand the experience of the residents.
“It was flat out uncomfortable,” Kevin recalled. “It was the middle of the summer, there was no air conditioning, there was noise. I never felt safe when I was there, and I heard stories from the residents about everything that was going on there.”
“At DHA, we adopted the phrase ‘People, Not Projects,’ and not only did we begin to change the housing authority, but we also began to change how people thought about what a housing authority could be and what it could do.”
Kevin spent three years leading DHA and was successful in securing funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to begin rehabilitation work on the North Lincoln development and initiating redevelopment efforts on many properties in DHA’s portfolio.
At DHA, we adopted the phrase ‘People, Not Projects,’ and not only did we begin to change the housing authority, but we also began to change how people thought about what a housing authority could be and what it could do.
In 1994, Kevin relocated to Washington, D.C., to serve within HUD overseeing the newly established HOPE VI program, which aimed to eradicate severely distressed public housing. Kevin’s work entailed working with public housing authorities across the country that needed reform, including Chicago Housing Authority, whose portfolio included Altgeld Gardens, a public housing project where Kevin and his family had lived when he was a boy. His roles also entailed advising the HUD Secretary, the White House, and Congress on issues and concerns relating to public housing.
“Even while I was at HUD, I kept my eye on North Lincoln in Denver,” Kevin explained. North Lincoln was ultimately awarded HOPE VI funding to support ongoing rehabilitation efforts. Now known as Lincoln Park Homes, the property remains in DHA’s portfolio to this day. “I consider it one of the most visible transformations of projects to homes,” said Kevin.
After an appointment to Assistant Secretary and four years spent at HUD, Kevin founded and became the Executive Director of the National Organization of African Americans in Housing, where he continues to serve. NOAAH is a housing industry association with members involved in all facets of housing development, financing, management, and operations. NOAAH works to organize and build consensus within the affordable housing industry, with a focus on fair housing.
“When we established our board of directors, we had residents of public housing on the board,” Kevin explained. “This was a practice I had implemented at HUD, and it was controversial.” Today, NOAAH’s membership includes residents of affordable housing developments, public and private housing organizations, housing finance authorities, developers, and national organizations.
A few years following the establishment of NOAAH, Kevin returned to Denver and was appointed to serve on CHFA’s Board of Directors. “I was the thirteenth person hired at CHFA, making coffee as a young intern, and now I found myself sitting on the board,” said Kevin. Today, he remains actively engaged with CHFA’s work to increase homeownership among Colorado’s Black and African American community.
Over the last two decades, Kevin has been deeply involved in community efforts to develop and rehabilitate affordable housing in Denver. When Stapleton International Airport was closed and DIA began its operations, Kevin chaired the Stapleton Development Corporation, which was integral in developing the Central Park neighborhood on land where the airport once operated. He currently serves as President of the Northeast Park Hill Coalition and was co-leader for Mayor Mike Johnston’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) transition team.
“At HUD, our work was about changing the face of public housing,” said Kevin. “If you look at the HUD staff here, in D.C., and the staff at DHA, the organizations are unrecognizable compared to where they once were. I certainly don’t take credit for that, but I am pleased to have been a part of it.”