Matthew O. “Matt” Franklin is a nationally recognized leader in the field of affordable housing. He joined MidPen in 2008 and in the ten years he’s served as chief executive, MidPen’s annual housing production has more than doubled, staff has grown from 350 to nearly 500, and the organization is poised for new growth, impact, and partnerships.
With a unique combination of public and private sector experience, Matt has held senior positions at the federal, state and local levels — including Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Clinton; Director of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development where he was the lead housing policy adviser to the Governor; and Director for the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing where he championed innovative housing programs that have become national models. Matt is often asked to speak at industry conferences and testify in public forums on issues related to housing policy and innovations. He’s currently on the board of the Housing Partnership Network and previously served as the Board Chair for the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California and on the boards of the National Housing Trust and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.
When not busy advancing the field of affordable housing, you might find Matt coaching one of his young sons’ soccer teams, enjoying time with his wife or mountain biking through the Marin Headlands.