FAITH-BASED HOUSING: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH
FAITH-BASED HOUSING: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH
Bringing together leaders of faith and development to shape a stronger Solano. Bringing together leaders of faith and development to shape a stronger Solano.
Landis Graden is the CEO and Founder of DCG Strategies (California’s leading real estate advisor, development consultant and broker for special purpose real estate including public school districts, city and county governments and churches). A serial entrepreneur, Landis has founded over 10 companies and several non-profits including United Tech Cities (preparing underrepresented minority youth for entrepreneurism as well as careers in STEAM fields).
A published author, Landis’ memoir, “Bent, Not Broken: Crossing Life's Bridges of Tragedy, Trauma, and Triumph” and its companion journal, takes an earnest look into how some of the most important moments in his life were affected by the abuse and trauma of his younger years.
Landis currently serves as a mentor for Junior Achievement and has served on numerous boards and commissions throughout the State of California including Covenant House California, City of Vallejo Planning Commission, City of Hayward Economic Development Committee, Glad Tidings Community Development Corporation and many others.
Penny Nixon is the Faith Director for the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County and the Faith Communities Housing Liaison for the County of San Mateo. Prior to working full time at the intersection of affordable housing and faith communities, she served as the Senior Minister of CCSM from 2007 – 2022 and was honored with the title of Minister Emerita upon her retirement from pastoral ministry.
A community leader and political activist, she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her justice work in both San Francisco and San M t I 2019 h d W f th
A visionary, an apostle, a prophet, a teacher, an ordained leader, and son of Mrs. Johnella Thomas and Mr. Harry L. Williams, Bishop Johnathan D. Logan knew from a noticeably young age that he was destined to be a minister of the Gospel. Saved at the age of ten and called into the preaching ministry at the age of 19, Bishop Logan’s career in ministry spans more than 49 years, of which 41 have been spent as senior pastor of the Cornerstone Community Church of God in Christ in Marin City, California; and 9 years at the historic Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California.
During the early years of his life, Bishop Logan was mentored by his father in ministry, the late Bishop Joseph Carlton Jenkins. Under Bishop Jenkin’s leadership, young Johnathan served in several capacities at the St. Beulah Church of God in Christ which included: choir member, Jr. Deacon, YPWW President and Jr. Church Pastor. Jurisdictionally, Bishop Logan served for several years as vice-president of the Northern California First Jurisdictional Youth Department under the leadership of the late Bishop B. R. Stewart; and then as Jurisdictional Financial Secretary under the leadership of the
Faithful to the work of the Church and community, Bishop Logan loyally served for 18 years as an Administrative Assistant to the late Bishop Robert-Richard Carr, prelate of the Greater Northern California Second Jurisdiction. During this time, Bishop Logan also served as the founding District Superintendent of the Rhema District. Bishop Logan has also served on several other community-based boards which include: the Marin City Community Development and Land Corporations. Bishop Logan is a past member the Board Operations Council of Hospice by the Bay and President of Operation M.O.P.P. (The Making Opportunities Possible Project), a nonprofit organization he founded in 2000.
Ministry is Bishop Logan’s passion. For this reason, hundreds of lives have been touched through his anointed, insightful, teaching and preaching. In 2006, he created the Logan Leadership Development Institute which assists pastors and congregations in the development and maximization of their leadership potential and reach. He believes that the Church’s greatest assets are the people who willingly avail themselves to serve God’s Kingdom and see it advanced in the earth.
In July 2015, following the death of Bishop Carr, Bishop Logan was unanimously recommended by the Pastors of the Greater Northern California Second Jurisdiction to succeed his bishop and friend. And on November 8, 2015 during the 108th Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ in St. Louis, MO, Bishop Logan was elevated to the Episcopal Office of Bishop. The next day following, Bishop Logan was ratified by the General Assembly to become the Jurisdictional Prelate of the Greater Northern California Second Jurisdiction. On February 21, 2016, Bishop Logan was appointed pastor of the historic Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California.
Most recently, Bishop Logan was appointed to serve as the Regional Bishop of Northern California by the International Chairman of the Board of Bishops, Bishop Donald R. Murray, Church of God in Christ, Inc.
Bishop Logan is happily married to Dr. Carolyn Logan, his best friend, and the love of his life for more than 46 years. Together, they have four outstanding sons and one daughter of which all are married: Johnathan Jr. & Amber; David & Shamila; Michael & Sharrah; Phillip & Rachel; and Natre’ & Mark. Together they also have twelve lovely grandchildren: Sanai, Jesse, Michael Jr., Amara, Johnathan Axel, David Jr., Nina, Aylee, Damiyah, Tiana, Janae, and Nasir.
Andre J. White was born and raised in a Gullah community on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Andre's family was not a recipient of "40-acres and a mule" under General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15 issued on Jan. 16, 1865. They freely purchased their land during and after the Order was overturned by President Andrew Johnson. Unbeknownst to him, throughout his childhood and dating back to post-Civil War, Andre's grandfather and other preceding generations of family patriarchs on the Island served as community leaders especially in regard to land use policy and economic development impacting the Gullah community. After a nearly 4-year stint working in investment banking and fixed-income trading, Andre returned the Island in late 2003 and began his current journey of serving the community.
Since late 2003, Andre has worked on over $1 billion of real estate transactions in California Massachusetts Connecticut New York Texas
Since forming MREG in 2019 as an advisor to private landowners, developers, faith-based organizations and municipalities, Andre has structured and closed over $500MM of fee simple sales, ground leases, and LIHTC new construction and/or resyndication transactions across California and Southeastern states. As a BIPOC co-developer, MREG has a pipeline of thirteen transactions. Out of the 13 pipeline projects, one is 9% LIHTC project that closed and began construction in December 2024, and another is a 4% LIHTC project on faith-based land slated to close and begin construction in January 2026. The remaining projects are either in acquisition or pre-development with anticipated closings and constructions starts/completion between 2026 – 2031.
Andre has a multi-disciplinary background in real estate development, investment management, investment banking and fixed-income trading. Real estate experience includes joint-venture equity structuring, land/building acquisitions, and development of subdivisions, mixed-use, market-rate residential, and affordable housing properties in urban, suburban and rural markets. He also holds a Master’s Degree from Harvard University with an emphasis in the development and investment of housing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from South Carolina State University.
