Ira Hall, one of MidPen’s founders and a lifelong advocate for social justice and racial equity, passed away at age 78 on January 11, 2023.
In 1970, Mr. Hall was one of a group of Stanford University students and Silicon Valley businesspeople who, aware of the racial and economic discrimination in housing and how it affected low-income individuals and families, committed to making meaningful and long-lasting change. The fruit of their work became the Mid-Peninsula Coalition Housing Fund, which grew into the MidPen Housing we know today, 52 years later.
Ira Hall was MidPen’s very first staff member and led the organization until 1976. Throughout his long and successful career, he championed diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and emphasized the importance of service to the community.
In 2020, Mr. Hall joined us for MidPen’s virtual 50th Anniversary celebration and was an inspirational part of the day. In this video he said, “Given our humble beginnings back in 1970, our wildest dream was to get something done then and do it in a way that was sustainable and had the budget to last ad infinitum.” And sure enough, MidPen’s very first community, San Veron Park in Mountain View, built with funds and designed by architects procured by Mr. Hall, still stands strong today, providing a home for 32 families.
According to Mr. Hall’s daughter Alicia, he was passionate about the meaning of “home.” It was a thread that was woven throughout his life. He was excited to see each and every MidPen community come to life, and it brought him great joy knowing that his work gave many of our residents a new lease on life — and a place to call home. We are grateful for the footprint Ira Hall left on our industry, and we will forever honor his memory with our lifelong commitment to providing affordable homes for the people who need them the most.