Where the Money Reside: Creative Capital for Complex Projects
Even the best projects can't survive on vision alone. They need a good capital strategy.
Whether you're developing affordable housing, revitalizing neighborhoods, launching a mixed-use project, or pursuing a transformative community investment, one question always determines what's possible:
How do you pay for it?
Usually some combination of private investment, public incentives, grants, tax credits, institutional financing, philanthropic dollars, and strategic partnerships.
In this dynamic conversation, you'll hear firsthand how the pros structure creative financing packages, navigate difficult negotiations, build relationships with funding partners, and turn ambitious ideas into projects that get built.
If you want practical insights you can apply to your own projects, you won't want to miss this one!
Miles Vaughn (Panelist)
Founder & Manager, Summit Advisory Services
A New York City native, Miles Vaughn has over 30 years of experience in real estate, community, and economic development. He received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology and his master’s degree with a concentration in Urban Planning from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Vaughn graduated from New York University’s Real Estate Development Institute and has several postgraduate real estate finance certifications.
He joined the Bank of America Community Development Corporation in 1999 as a Real Estate Development Officer. As a Senior Vice President, Mr. Vaughn was involved in all aspects of affordable housing development including the negotiation of partnership agreements, land acquisitions, structuring of financing packages, and the coordination of development teams.
While a Senior Business Developer with Fannie Mae, Mr. Vaughn’s responsibilities included identifying affordable housing development opportunities across the country, managing Fannie Mae relationships with local housing and community development partners, as well as increasing access to credit and assisting borrowers in avoiding foreclosure.
As the Housing Services Division Manager for the City of Charlotte’s Department of Housing & Neighborhood Services, Mr. Vaughn’s responsibilities included, working with external and internal partners to ensure the implementation of programs, policies, and initiatives that support the City’s priority of increasing and preserving the supply of high-quality affordable housing. As the Department’s Strategic Partnerships Manager, Mr. Vaughn was charged with cultivating relationships with community stakeholders interested in partnering with the Department to engage in providing the community with a vast array of assistance such as affordable housing.
Currently, Mr. Vaughn is the founder and manager of Summit Advisory Services. LLC, a real estate and community development consulting firm.
Fred Dodson (Panelist)
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development, DreamKey Partners
Fred Dodson, Jr. has dedicated his career to transforming communities through innovative real estate development and affordable housing finance. As Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development at DreamKey Partners, he leads the organization's real estate development and construction operations, overseeing the acquisition, financing, development, and delivery of complex housing projects throughout the Southeast.
Since joining DreamKey Partners in 1997, Fred has played a pivotal role in growing the organization's real estate portfolio from approximately 400 residential units to nearly 3,000 while expanding its development footprint beyond North Carolina into South Carolina and Georgia. Throughout his career, he has successfully structured and managed sophisticated development transactions by bringing together public agencies, institutional lenders, tax credit investors, philanthropic organizations, and private capital partners to finance projects that create lasting community impact.
He is widely recognized for his ability to navigate the complexities of affordable housing finance and for his collaborative leadership in delivering projects that balance financial feasibility with meaningful community outcomes.
Maggie Parker (Panelist)
Founder & CEO, Innovan Neighborhoods
Maggie J. Parker is a nationally recognized community development leader, real estate strategist, and founder of Innovan Neighborhoods, a Dallas-based development and consulting firm dedicated to advancing community-centered real estate projects through innovative financing, strategic partnerships, and equitable investment. Since launching the firm in 2019, Maggie has led the creation of a more than $100 million development pipeline focused on affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and small business-anchored projects, while helping community partners secure more than $15 million in public and private investment throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
Prior to founding Innovan Neighborhoods, Maggie served as Director of The Real Estate Council Community Fund, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), where she expanded access to capital for underserved communities through innovative lending programs, technical assistance, and capacity-building initiatives.
Throughout her career, Maggie has become known for bridging the gap between institutional capital and community priorities. She has cultivated partnerships with major financial institutions, regional chambers of commerce, philanthropic organizations, and public agencies to advance transformative projects while preserving the identity and culture of the neighborhoods they serve.
She is a Certified Housing Development Finance Professional and has been recognized as a Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree for her leadership in community development and real estate finance.
Dejernette (Dee Dee) Beaty (Moderator)
Senior Vice President of Housing, Volunteers of America National Services
Dejernette Beaty serves as the Senior Vice President of Housing. In this role, she is responsible for driving the strategic growth and impact of VOANS through effective real estate development and asset management practices and comprehensive resident services coordination.
Prior to joining VOANS in June 2024, Dee Dee worked at Atlanta Housing, the largest housing authority in Georgia, for 14 years serving in multiple leadership roles throughout her tenure. She most recently served as the Chief Real Estate Officer where she provided leadership for the agency’s real estate department, which performed all real estate development and operations functions such as planning and development; construction management; underwriting; asset and property management; and housing program compliance. The team was responsible for the management of over 300 acres of vacant land and the asset and property management of 117 mixed-income mixed-finance properties, with over 10,000 affordable units. In addition to affordable housing experience, Dee Dee has experience in the senior healthcare industry managing skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.
Dee Dee has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from South Carolina State University and a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. She has also received the Certified Manager of Housing (CMH) designation through the National Center for Housing Management.
