Christiana Foglio is all about impact investing – finding creative
ways to merge public funding and private capital to invest in making
communities better. Her motto is to not only do well, but do good.
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An industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience in the
private and public sectors, Chris specializes in building senior and
multi-family housing that reflects each community’s vision, needs, and
character. She founded Community Investment Strategies in 1994, and as
a successful entrepreneur, she’s grown her company’s diverse portfolio
to include more than 3,775 apartment rental units valued at over $600
million. More than her success, though, is her determination to be a
thoughtful developer, backing the development of communities
purposefully and with people in mind.
Chris’ business model focuses on building assets – high quality
properties that retain their value and provide a benefit to the
community in which they are built. In addition to the high-quality
housing her company builds, Chris stresses the importance of building
relationships – with her residents, local municipal officials, and
like-minded investors who see the value in supporting the fiscal
revitalization of neighborhoods in need of their support.
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Prior to founding CIS, Chris was executive director of the New Jersey
Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, serving under two governors. In
that role, she was responsible for more than $1 billion in
multi-family bond financing and created the state’s Housing Policy.
She also chaired the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing. As the
former president of the not-for-profit New Brunswick Development
Corporation, Chris is credited with launching that city’s economic
rebirth by implementing $300 million worth of urban renewal projects.