About Lloyd D. Smith

For those of you who didn't know him, we are including information about our co-founder and visionary, Lloyd D. Smith. Lloyd was the driving force behind The Pearl Coalition with his intention that The Pearl should be the first Tall Ship built in Washington, D.C. by the people of the metropolitan area.  Vistit the Lloyd D. Smith Foundation web site for more information.

 Lloyd D. Smith, Founder and Founding Chairman (1933 - 2004)

Lloyd D. Smith was recognized as a leader in community and economic development in the Washington metropolitan area and in the nation. Mr. Smith was the founding Chair (2001) and later the Acting President (2002) of the National Capital Revitalization Corporation and its subsidiary the RLA Revitalization Corporation. He was an organizing Director and Chairman of the Board of City First Bank of D.C., N.A., the only community development bank in D.C. Mr. Smith also served as a founding Director of the New School for Enterprise and Development Public Charter School.

For 20 years, Mr. Smith was the Executive Director of Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, Inc. ("MHCDO") until 2000. During that time MHCDO, grew from a staff of 4 to 64 and from an annual budget of $115,000 to more than $5.1 million. He initiated housing rehabilitations, as well as multi-family, condominium, and single home development for low to moderate-income people in Ward 7. MHCDO pioneered urban shopping center community redevelopment with the purchase for $3.2 million of the East River Park Shopping Center. Mr. Smith leveraged an initial $25,000 investment with four loans to acquire a 40% interest in properties (subsequently including the Fort Davis Shopping Center) now worth over $17 million.

MHCDO was the first CDC to invest its own funds in the new Individual Investment Account program and was a founding member of the citywide program, with home buyers and student accounts. He established the first Ward Seven Community Child Welfare program under a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, called "Fighting Back" in Ward Seven, housing counseling, food and clothing services, transitional housing, the first Single Room Occupancy facility in Ward Seven and many other social services programs.

During his leadership of MHCDO, Mr. Smith was a member of the D.C. Zoning Commission from 1988-1993, was a founding Director of the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, was a Director of the D.C. Building Association Council, C.O.G. Growth Policy Committee, and was on the Mayor's Health Policy Council. Mr. Smith has been a frequent speaker at universities and national conferences. Prior to joining MHCDO, Mr. Smith held various key positions in community services and planning in the District of Columbia government. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the 1994 Community Service Award from the D.C. Building Industry Association and the 1996 Washingtonian of the Year.