Housing Industry Foundation Appoints New Executive Director

San Mateo, Calif. – One of Silicon Valley’s foremost champions in the fight against homelessness, the Housing Industry Foundation, today announced the appointment of Robert Freiri to lead the charity.

Freiri brings thirty years of experience with non-profit organizations in the Bay Area, most recently as Executive Director for Chamberlain’s Children Center, a 40-year old program that counsels at-risk children, helping them develop skills for life-long success. Simultaneously, he served as principal at Keith Thompson, a non-public school which offers a highly specialized learning setting for special education students.

HIF was founded in 1989 by a small handful of apartment owners to create a financial bridge for local families facing a housing crisis, as well as to galvanize the apartment industry to renovate shelters at no cost to non-profit partners. The impact of HIF’s community reach is extraordinary given its low-overhead framework. Since its inception, HIF’s programs have helped prevent homelessness for over 6,500 households in our community and improved shelter conditions at 102 nonprofit housing facilities.

In just over seven years at Chamberlain’s, Freiri led more than 1,200 volunteers and consistently surpassed one of the country’s most rigorous academic accreditation standards. A combination of grants and fundraising helped Freiri double the program budget to $4.2 million this year. He previously served as Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley and is a graduate of Stanford University’s Nonprofit Executive Program.

“The high cost of housing is toughest on those who are in tough situations – families just making ends meet, the homeless seeking shelter, women escaping violence, and those on fixed or limited incomes,” Freiri said. “It’s my privilege to lead HIF and its supporters to meet this growing need.”

Freiri succeeds Meta Townsley, who joined HIF staff in 2009 as Development Director during the financial crisis, but managed to double its fundraising to historic levels despite the recession. Townsley was named Executive Director in 2013 and will remain engaged with HIF’s mission in her new position at one of HIF’s partner agencies.

Contact: Jenna Whisler, Development and Marketing Coordinator, Housing Industry Foundation

Jenna@HIFinfo.org | 650-437-2980