HomeAid San Diego Welcomes New Executive Director, Elects 2022 Board of Directors

(Feb. 1, 2022) SAN DIEGO — HomeAid San Diego, a nonprofit organization working to provide services to mitigate the housing crisis in San Diego County, announces that Mary Lydon has joined the organization as its executive director.

Lydon has 25 years of experience in land use planning, real estate markets, community and stakeholder participation, affordable housing policy and economic development strategies. She has worked with private-sector developers, public-sector agencies and nonprofit organizations, holding key leadership roles within the Housing You Matters Coalition, Urban Land Institute, Downtown San Diego Partnership and many nonprofit boards over the course of her career. She is a former City of San Diego Planning Commissioner, appointed by former Mayor of San Diego Jerry Sanders, as well as a Stadium Advisory Group member, appointed by former Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Additionally, Lydon is a LEAD San Diego graduate, completed an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Mary to HomeAid San Diego,” said HomeAid’s Board Chair Staci Reidinger. “Her career experience and network will help guide our board, and our region, to be part of the solution of ending homelessness.”

For 20 years, HomeAid’s mission has been to help people who are either experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives. HomeAid has worked and partnered with companies in the property development industry and social service agencies to facilitate construction, community engagement and education. Through its BUILDS, CARES and WORKS campaigns, the organization serves all of San Diego County.

The BUILDS program has built/renovated 29 shelters in all regions of San Diego County for 14 homeless social services agencies, creating over 700 new beds and saving $6.5 million in construction costs on $35 million of project value. These facilities house emancipated foster youth, foster youth, abused and neglected children, seniors, veterans, homeless youth, young homeless mothers and their dependent children as well as addictive individuals, developmentally challenged individuals, single women, families, domestic violence victims and Alzheimer’s patients without family.

The CARES Program provides corporate volunteers the opportunity to experience working with our at- risk service provider network by assembling care kits or doing light rehab on housing projects for local shelters throughout San Diego County. HomeAid’s newest program set to begin in early 2022, WORKS, puts into action the belief that homeless or at-risk youth need both job skills (opportunity, training, industry knowledge and hands-on practice) and relationships (real mentors, on-site coaching and wrap- around support) in order to succeed. This construction training program provides the building industry with new employees to help fill the construction job shortage which is at crisis levels.

The work HomeAid has accomplished is in large part due to its local service providers and corporate, trade and nonprofit partners, including Lennar, Avalon Bay, Brookfield Properties, Prevost Construction, Geocon, Home Start, TERI Inc., Turner Construction, Lucky Duck Foundation, Conrad Prebys Foundation, US Bank and Bank of America.

Under the leadership of U.S. Marine veteran and Reidinger PR President Staci Reidinger, HomeAid San Diego recently elected its 2022 board of directors and they are already in action. The board includes Robert (Buddy) Bohrer, El Camino Encinitas Group; Barbara Hunter, Financial Consultant; Melissa Stern, C&S Companies; Jamie Prevost, Prevost Construction; Mark Read, Kidder Mathews; Brian Adkins, Buchalter; Hala Garmo, US Bank; Stacie Greene, Over the Moon Sales & Advertising; Vera Howell, Turner Construction; Mark Janda, Avalon Bay Communities; Alex Leonard, Greystar; Tony Pauker, Brookfield Properties Development; David Potter, JPI Development LLC; Ron Sutliff; Joe Vettel, Geocon; Alan Willingham, Lennar; Drew DeFalle, Swinerton; and Erik Flores, Lowe.

About HomeAid San Diego

Founded in 2002 by Mark Read of Kidder Mathews, HomeAid San Diego is a local affiliate of HomeAid America, which includes 19 chapters across the United States that attack the reality of homelessness with a unique and collaborative approach. Through housing development, community engagement, advocacy and workforce development, HomeAid improves and expands housing and resources for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the San Diego region.

By bringing together homeless service providers, local builders and trades, national and local resources, and community leaders, HomeAid builds and renovates shelters and transitional housing at a fraction of the cost. Through partnerships, the organization reduces the time service providers spend on managing

a project and the costs associated with construction, allowing these entities to assist in mitigating homelessness in San Diego County.

For more information, visit https://www.homeaidsd.org