Our Northern California team is a powerful team of professionals from diverse backgrounds who make a significant impact in affordable housing and community development from the Bay Area down to the Central Valley. Today, we’re excited to spotlight Ainsley Sanidad, senior program associate.

Sanidad joined Enterprise in 2022, first as an intern before coming on full time after graduating from UC Berkeley. A proud San Franciscan—born and raised in Visitacion Valley—and a first-generation college graduate, she brings heart and dedication to everything she does.

It’s not an exaggeration to say she has a hand in everything, supporting our preservation and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities work, helping drive fundraising efforts, leading our Section 4 capacity-building grantmaking, and even managing our monthly newsletter.

Outside of the office, she co-founded Early Housers, a network for entry-level affordable housing professionals to learn, connect, and grow together. Sanidad also completed UCLA’s Howard and Irene Levine Affordable Housing Development Program, expanding her expertise in the complexities of affordable housing finance and development.

Sanidad reflects on how these experiences have shaped her perspective and approach in her work.

What did you learn from UCLA’s Howard and Irene Levine Affordable Housing Development Program?

I don’t get many touchpoints on the details of affordable housing development in my day-to-day work, so this program was an amazing opportunity to dig into the nuts and bolts. We explored everything—from how developers assemble complex layers of public and private funding to the fine print of loan documents, insurance, and site selection.

It gave me a real window into how hard it is just to get one affordable housing development across the finish line and how much creativity and persistence it takes. It also made me think about how state systems could become more efficient for developers and communities. I’m really curious to see how the new California Housing and Homelessness Agency might help address some of those challenges.

What was your favorite part of the program?

Definitely the people! The program brought together an incredible mix—participants from city and local agencies, affordable housing developers, supportive housing providers, Community Development Financial Institutions, and think tanks. We were grouped into teams to work through real-world scenarios, which meant I got to learn directly from peers with totally different areas of expertise.

The networking and mentorship were also huge highlights. I met so many inspiring leaders who have spent decades shaping this field, and they were all so generous with their insights and advice. As an early career professional, those connections mean a lot. I left feeling both grounded and inspired about the future of affordable housing.

Tell us about the Early Housers group, and why it started.

My former colleague, Shania Santana, and I started Early Housers because we noticed there weren’t many spaces for early-career professionals to connect outside of big conferences. We wanted to create something more accessible and regular. We wanted a space where we could share experiences, learn from one another, and get advice from seasoned housing leaders.

We host bi-monthly virtual sessions and quarterly in-person gatherings in the Bay Area. Our featured speakers have included people like Shola Olatoye, San Francisco Downtown Development Corporation CEO; Geeta Rao, Enterprise senior director ; Somaya Abdelgany, Bay Area Housing Finance Authority preservation manager; and Cliff Yee, formerly of Coro Northern California. Each has shared their own career journeys and lessons learned, which has been incredibly valuable.

Today, Early Housers includes about 20 participants across development, asset management, policy, design, and advocacy. And, we’re always looking to grow. If you’re an early-career practitioner with less than five years of experience, we’d love to have you join us. 

Contact Sanidad for more information on Early Housers and to get involved.