Cinnaire Closes Record-Breaking
$340 Million Affordable Housing Fund
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Cinnaire recently named four market leaders to guide our work across Southwest Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Phildelphia and Wilmington, DE. These individuals will play a central role in identifying opportunities, building local partnerships, and driving economic development through mission-aligned investments.
Yulonda Byrd has been named Vice President & Southeast Michigan Market Leader. Since joining Cinnaire in 2007, Yulonda has played a vital role in advancing our mission. In her new position, she will lead our efforts in Southeast Michigan, serving as a key representative and working with local nonprofits, government agencies, coalitions, and developers to uncover new opportunities and respond to evolving community needs.
Dionna Sargent will serve as Vice President & Tri-State Area Market Leader, expanding her focus to include a broader MidAtlantic region with particular emphasis on Philadelphia. Dionna’s role will include in-depth market research, competitive analysis, and business development strategies to guide our growth across this dynamic geography.
Keith Broadnax has been named Senior Vice President, Market Lead for Indiana and Illinois. With deep roots in community development and a long track record at Cinnaire, Keith will lead regional relationship-building and business origination efforts across all service lines.
Kaitlyn Schutz has been named Senior Vice President, Business Development for Indiana and Illinois. After several years leading fund modeling for Cinnaire Equity Partners, Kait will now focus on expanding our project pipeline and building strong developer and investor partnerships throughout the region.
Cinnaire Honored a USA Today Top Workplace
Cinnaire has been recognized as a Top Workplace USA 2025 by USA TODAY, earning national distinction in the Social Responsibility category for companies with 150–499 employees. This honor reflects our deep commitment to fostering a people-first workplace culture while making a lasting impact through mission-driven work.
Placing among the top 50 finalists, Cinnaire stood out for our dedication to advancing economic opportunity and equity in the communities we serve. This recognition is a direct reflection of our team’s passion, values, and shared belief that business can be a powerful force for good.
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Breaking Ground and Opening Doors
It’s that time of year—when golden shovels, hard hats, and ceremonial ribbons take center stage. Across our footprint, Cinnaire has been celebrating alongside our partners as visionary projects break ground and open their doors. These moments mark more than just construction milestones—they reflect the stories, goals, and collaboration that turn plans and spreadsheets into vibrant communities. From new affordable housing developments to community spaces and revitalized neighborhoods, these celebrations showcase the impact of our LIHTC investments, Cinnaire Lending, and our Cinnaire Solutions development team. Check out the photos and project highlights here.
Minnesota Project Honored for Advancing Innovative, Purpose-Driven Housing
Two Cinnaire-supported developments in St. Paul—Restoring Waters and Nellie Francis Court—have been recognized with the 2025 Minnesota Real Estate Journal Award in the Affordable Housing category.
Developed in partnership with Emma Norton Services, Restoring Waters provides over 60 deeply affordable homes for individuals and families emerging from homelessness, with a supportive, trauma-informed model centered on healing and long-term stability. Adjacent to it, Nellie Francis Court delivers 75 quality apartments for low-income working households and includes amenities such as a community room, wellness space, co-working area, bike storage, and underground parking. Together, these projects are powerful examples of how housing can be thoughtfully designed to address complex social issues with dignity, compassion, and long-term vision.
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Cinnaire Lending Supports Groundbreaking for Passive Living Development in Chicago
Cinnaire Lending recently joined 548 Development and City of Chicago leadership to celebrate the groundbreaking of West Humboldt Park Passive Living, a transformational affordable housing project on Chicago’s West Side. Cinnaire Lending provided $2 million in flexible financing to support this project and another innovative development by 548 Development, a rising Black-owned real estate firm committed to equitable community revitalization. Our financing included a $600,000 enterprise working capital line of credit and $1.4 million in predevelopment funding, helping move these visionary developments from concept to construction.
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Celebrating Youth Leadership and Impact in Michigan
Cinnaire was proud to sponsor the 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year Program in Michigan—an inspiring celebration of young leaders who exemplify academic excellence, service, leadership, and resilience. As the premier recognition initiative of Boys & Girls Clubs, the program showcases the powerful impact local Clubs have on preparing youth for future success, while awarding scholarships to support their educational goals.
We were honored to have Jennifer Everhart, Cinnaire’s Chief Impact Officer, serve as a judge alongside a distinguished panel committed to uplifting each finalist’s unique journey. At the Lansing celebration, Jennifer Calery, Cinnaire’s Strategic Communications Specialist, was named 2025 Board Member of the Year by the Michigan Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs for her exceptional leadership in Alpena and across the state. We are proud of our team members reflecting Cinnaire’s deep commitment to empowering youth and investing in the next generation of changemakers.
