Speaker
David A. Smith
Founder
Affordable Housing Institute (AHI)
David A. Smith is the founder of the Affordable Housing Institute (AHI), a non-profit global consultancy, recipient of a major grant from the Gates Foundation, specializing in affordable housing program design and development. With more than 35 years' experience in affordable housing finance, David combines the roles of practitioner and theoretician, participant and policymaker. Engagements throughout the world include:
- Global. Financial advisor to the Urban Poor Fund of Slum Dwellers International, a self-managed fund controlled by the urban poor themselves, providing risk capital to enable them to engage with domestic governments on innovative pilot transactions.
- South Africa. Policy advisor to the Banking Association of South Africa on collaborative and competitive initiatives banks could undertake to fulfill the affordable housing components of the landmark 2003 Financial Sector Charter.
- Other work in Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Turkey and United Kingdom.
- Thought leader. Author of more than 100 articles, sought-after speaker and symposium co-chair.
Successful businessman. Founder of Recap Advisors, LLC, today a 25- person firm that is one of the US's leading affordable housing asset managers with $2.0 billion under management.