Mercy Housing’s Walsh Announces Retirement
Dee Walsh, chief operating officer and executive vice president at Mercy Housing, will retire at the end of the year after several decades of service and leadership to the affordable housing and community development field.
She joined the national nonprofit in 2018, and during her tenure, she revitalized real estate developments in the Mountain Plains region, helped establish innovative financing tools like the $60 million Gap Note Program that leveraged $1.2 billion to create more than 3,000 affordable homes, and expanded the organization’s presence into three new states.
In addition, Walsh enhanced collaboration and professional development by launching the biannual real estate developers forum, strengthening policies, training, and design standards, while improving portfolio and pipeline management. She also played a pivotal role in building organizational leadership, hiring several regional presidents and national senior executives whose impact will extend for years to come.
She also held executive roles at REACH Community Development, Housing Partnership Network (HPN), and Network for Oregon Affordable Housing.
Recognized with the 2025 Robert B. Whittlesey Leadership Award by HPN, Walsh notes that she is retiring but “rewiring.” She plans to remain active in teaching, consulting, and writing about affordable housing while also enjoying time for artistic pursuits, hiking, and travel.
NHPF Names Chief Investment Officer
Joseph P. Weatherly has joined The NHP Foundation (NHPF) as chief investment officer.
With more than 23 years of success in multifamily housing acquisition, finance, and development nationwide, he brings expertise in affordable, workforce, and mixed-income housing. In his new role, he will oversee NHPF’s investment strategy and capital deployment across its national portfolio, leading the organization’s investment team in identifying opportunities that align with its mission and long-term financial strength.
Prior to joining NHPF, Weatherly served as senior vice president at McCormack Baron Salazar and chief development officer at McCormack Baron Residential, where he pursued and secured development rights for more than 11,000 units nationwide and built national business development and workforce housing teams. He has also held senior leadership roles at The Michaels Organization, PIRHL, Affordable Homes & Communities, and Meridian Investments, and began his career in finance at Morgan Stanley.
NHPF owns and operates 63 properties across 15 states and the District of Columbia, serving over 25,000 residents.
Tapestry Development Appoints Director of Due Diligence
Cynthia Prater has joined Tapestry Development Group as director of due diligence.
With more than 20 years of affordable housing experience, Prater brings deep expertise in navigating the low-income housing tax credit, HOME, and other funding programs to deliver quality housing options for low-income families across the Southeast.
In her role, she oversees all due diligence aspects of the development process, from project concept through stabilized operations, across Tapestry’s affordable housing portfolio. Prater manages the preparation and submission of all funding applications, maintains and builds relationships with state housing finance staff, development partners, and third-party vendors, and coordinates closing transactions related to property acquisition, construction loans, equity, and permanent financing. She also leads the preparation of cost certification documents and the completion and filing of IRS Form 8609 for all developments.
Previously, Prater was vice president of development operations at The Bennett Group.
Todman Takes on New Role
Adrianne Todman, former acting secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has been named CEO of the National Rental Home Council, a nonprofit trade association representing the single-family rental home industry.
Todman brings over three decades of housing experience, spanning local and federal government service, association leadership, policy development, and property management to her new role. Her experience includes serving as CEO of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.
Todman succeeds David Howard, and her appointment comes as national and local leaders have prioritized housing affordability, said council representatives.