CEO
Dave Clevenger
I am on a journey. A journey to end homelessness using a novel approach. This is the why behind the what.
I started working with the homeless almost 6 years ago. What I learned has changed my outlook on why the problem seems to be growing and the things which are necessary to change it.
​
Some foundations first:
1) Causes of homelessness are multi-faceted.
2) Solutions to homelessness can be quite simple.
3) The barriers to simple solutions are profound.
4) Encampments are communities- in a negative circumstance.
5) The simplest solution is to replace the negative and instead create a positive community buoyed by work, houses and peer-support. The transformation trio.
6) Well-designed places and spaces, run by caring and capable people, create the atmosphere for simple solutions.
7) Building well-designed places and activating spaces is a complex art. I have built a team which can surgically perform this art from start to finish- Turnkey.
So, I have embarked on a journey to build positive courtyard communities in a turnkey model for any locale willing to take the journey. I call them Pocket Courtyard Communities. They have 3 key elements, termed the Transformation Trio:
1) Safe Places to call home. Small factory-built units built to code similar to manufactured homes.
2) A volunteer or work-based entrepreneurial or blue-collar environment.
3) A peer-support ecosystem. Where people who know each other and this culture, support each other.
Why is it turnkey? Because starting from scratch (or square one) the barriers to achieve community are profound and expertise is required for each.
1) Development Capital is required. Capital stack fundraising expertise is required.
2) Land is needed. That requires knowledge of zoning, brokering, due diligence and assessments, among many other things.
3) Plans and Permits. Design, drafting, submitting scopes, pulling permits, and generally all pre-development work.
4) Site Work. Trenches, pipe, connections, foundations, sidewalks, fire hydrants, electrical scoping, drive surfaces, lighting, etc, etc…
5) Building Units.
6) Placing Units.
7) Finding & Connecting with Clients.
8) Managing Clients
9) Managing & Maintaining Property. Who will collect the rents, fix facilities, and pay bills and issue investor returns?
​
​
Administrative Assistant
Sarisa Alvarez
Sarisa is the first to greet you at the front desk of the CIC office with a welcoming smile. She is passionate about helping the community.​
Administrative Assistant
Lynette Lemos
Lynette has been a joyous presence at CIC for over a year now. She came to us as we were under enormous pressure to keep up with our quick growth. She has a background in medical billing and has become a major part of our team here. She keeps a spirit of merriment as she helps juggle the many administrative needs of CIC.
Comptroller
Logan Stephens
Logan is a native of Tulare who graduated form Cal Poly with a BS in Business Administration and a concentration on Information Systems. She began her career with us here at CIC in 2021 grant writing, maximizing revenue, and working toward operational efficiency. She is stepping into her new roll as a comptroller to manage financial operations.
%20Clark.jpg)
COO/Developer
Alejandro (Hondo) Clark
Hondo joined the CIC team in September 2020. He is responsible for overseeing the entitlement of our properties. Hondo received a business degree from Fresno State and minor in Japanese. He is a California real estate broker with 20 plus years of experience. In those 20 years he has helped build over 200 homes and has worked through the permitting process of roughly 2,000 homes and 100’s of thousands of square feet of commercial space. We are rapidly adding to those totals at CIC as we speak.