F. Barton Harvey III: A Tribute

During his 23-year tenure at Enterprise, Bart Harvey led one of the most influential and productive organizations in the field of affordable housing – and earned a reputation as a powerful advocate for the vast potential of the human spirit.

By his early 30s, Bart Harvey had reached dizzying heights of financial success. Born to a Baltimore family of high achievers, Bart took his Harvard MBA to Wall Street, where he became an investment banker for Dean Witter Reynolds. For 10 years he rose swiftly, putting together acquisitions and financings. But something was missing.

While on a sabbatical, Bart met James Rouse, the real estate developer who had founded the nonprofit Enterprise Foundation two years earlier. Over dinner, Jim explained his vision: “to provide every poor person in America the opportunity to live in fit, affordable housing.” Bart’s instant assessment: “Bold. Extraordinary. But crazy.”

Still, Bart agreed to volunteer at Enterprise for six months – a commitment that stretched into 23 years. His corporate finance background made Enterprise crucial to the development of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit – the primary financing tool for affordable rental homes. Other major community development strategies and solutions followed. When Harvey stepped down as chair in March 2008, Enterprise had invested more than $9 billion and helped build more than 240,000 affordable homes.

Bart’s tireless leadership – and some of Enterprise’s finest moments – reflects his passion for bold proposals, such as Enterprise’s Green Communities® initiative. Launched in 2004, the program’s extraordinary impact is redefining green affordable housing as one and the same.

To honor Bart’s spirit and legacy, Enterprise created the Bart Harvey Enterprise Fellowship. The two-year program offers young professionals exposure to affordable housing and community development, with the aim of inspiring the kind of commitment and excellence that Bart exemplified throughout his leadership of Enterprise.