FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2021
CSI Names Terry J. Stevinson Fellows & Identifies Housing Affordability as the 2021 Project Focus
Denver, CO – “We are pleased to announce Evelyn Lim and Peter LiFari as our 2021 Terry J. Stevinson fellows,” said Common Sense Institute (CSI) President & CEO Kristin Strohm.
Established in honor of Terry J. Stevinson, a founding board member of CSI, this fellowship is dedicated to examining a critical issue confronting Colorado and presenting achievable solutions.
“The focus of the 2021 fellowship is an issue that impacts every single Coloradan – housing affordability,” said Strohm. “Consider the U.S. News rankings of affordable states. Colorado ranks in the top 10 most expensive places to live and while there are many factors that contribute to the rank, housing is one of the most significant. The bottom line is that if people can’t afford to live here, economic development will suffer, jobs will suffer, families will suffer, and our economy will stagnate.”
Evelyn Lim is the Director of Policy and Research at the American Cornerstone Institute. She is the former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Regional Administrator for Region 8 which covers Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. As the senior HUD official in the region, Lim worked with elected officials, stakeholders, and partners to address the affordable housing and economic development needs for families, veterans, and other vulnerable populations in the region. She was also a senior advisor to the Secretary of HUD and coordinated HUD’s coronavirus pandemic response and relief efforts. Prior to her appointment at HUD, Lim served as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After 9/11, she served in the newly created DHS and in the George W. Bush White House as the Director of Transportation Security Policy. She is admitted to the practice of law in Florida and Illinois and has clerked for Federal District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer and the Illinois Attorney General where she focused on predatory lending practices by home mortgage lenders.
Peter LiFari is the Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners. As one of over 3,000 Housing Authorities across the country, Maiker works alongside other members from communities across the country to ensure housing needs are advocated for on a national level. Maiker, an owner, operator and developer of affordable housing communities in Adams County, CO collaborates with other Housing Authorities to collectively work toward the overarching mission of the industry to create attainable and sustainable housing and communities for vulnerable families and individuals. LiFari currently serves on the board of directors for indieDwell in support of their mission to revolutionize the building industry by producing dwellings that better occupant health and well-being, improve the health of the environment and empower community. As Regional President of Mountain Plains NAHRO, and as Chairperson for the Adams County COVID19 Housing Response and Recovery Task Force. LiFari is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. He earned his MFA from Queens College and his MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology.
“Evelyn and Peter represent different perspectives of this important issue and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to this project,” continued Strohm. “We’re looking forward to releasing their findings later this year.”
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Common Sense Institute is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy. CSI is at the forefront of important discussions concerning the future of free enterprise in Colorado and aims to have an impact on the issues that matter most to Coloradans. CSI’s mission is to examine the fiscal impacts of policies, initiatives, and proposed laws so that Coloradans are educated and informed on issues impacting their lives.
Learn more about the Terry J. Stevinson Fellowship here.