Farewell to a Great Friend

DENNIS LALOR

Dennis Lalor, long-time Rural LISC partner, supporter and Advisory Committee member, passed away Friday, August 31, after a valiant struggle with cancer. From the time of his initial diagnosis, throughout the course of the illness, and no matter how difficult the situation, Dennis maintained his signature positive spirit to the very end.

Dennis was the CEO of South County Housing in Gilroy, Calif., a provider of affordable housing for low-income residents of California’s Central Coast agricultural region. South County was one of the first organizations to join the Rural LISC network in 1995.  Dennis began working for South County Housing in 1986, and became its CEO in 1997.  He served as a member of the Rural LISC Advisory Committee since 2003.

Suzanne Anarde, LISC Vice President and Rural LISC Director, at the Rural LISC 20th Anniversary Seminar, Maine, 2015, with California CDC partners (left to right): Dave Ferrier, RCAC Housing Director (formerly Executive Director, CHIP); Peter Carey, retired President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises; John Mealey, retired founding Executive Director of Coachella Valley Housing Coalition; Dennis; and Stan Keasling, CEO of RCAC.

A humble, extraordinary and determined colleague and role model, Dennis worked tirelessly for more than 32 years addressing the lack of decent and affordable housing for rural farmworkers and low-income residents in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country.  Throughout his career, he skillfully used his passion and creativity to secure opportunities for safe, quality and affordable housing for disadvantaged families in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, first as a Housing Rehab Manager, then as Single-Family Program and Housing Development Director at South County Housing.  During his tenure as CEO at South County, he elevated his advocacy for rural affordable and improved housing for rural farmworkers and low-income families to a national level. Dennis brought the voice of reason, experience and understanding of complex issues in policy or housing strategies to any table he joined, whether local, state or national. While a practitioner at heart and in his local communities, he held his own in larger scale discussions, always with a keen and resolute determination to advance the cause of affordable housing for rural poor residents, families and communities.

Dennis with Evelyn Brown, former Detroit LISC Director, guiding a tour of South County Housing’s developments, 2005.

With more than 3,000 single and multi-family homes developed by South County in his time there, Dennis touched and improved lives in many ways beyond housing, to include on-site services for families and pioneering creative placemaking. A strong, thoughtful and dedicated individual, Dennis persevered, even when faced with daunting odds.  Housing development in high cost areas is not for the faint of heart, and Dennis was a master at taking on projects with numerous phases, securing land parcels when they were available, with a vision for future affordable housing opportunities. The economic downturn of 2008 devastated the housing industry, and, in California, there was also an elimination of redevelopment subsidies for housing. This combination would have been lethal for South County’s vast portfolio of properties, had Dennis Lalor not been at the helm. A stand-up, ethical and courageous individual, he rolled up his sleeves and used his creativity, strong relationship skills and brilliant “deal making” to ensure that not one unit of affordable housing was lost in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties due to the economic crisis. He tirelessly navigated to completion his vision for developments of high quality mixed income housing communities, and continued to move the needle on creative affordable housing through unique and collaborative partnerships with other CDFIs.  Most importantly, as is his way, he shared lessons learned through this difficult journey with his peers through mentoring, advising, telling the South County story and encouraging other housing leaders, struggling through this dark period of time.  Dennis never wavered from his calling and life-long mission of ensuring that disadvantaged individuals, families and communities have housing choices that they can afford and enjoy.

Dennis receiving a Scholarship Award from the late Sandy Rosenblith, founding and former Rural LISC Director, with California CDC partners (left to right): the late Rodney Fernandez, former Executive Director, Cabrillo Economic Development Corp.; John Mealey, retired founding Executive Director of Coachella Valley Housing Coalition; Dave Ferrier, RCAC Housing Director (formerly Executive Director of CHIP); Peter Carey, retired President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises; and Dennis; Monterey, Calif., 2005.

Rural LISC honored Dennis with a number of awards over the course of our partnership, including the Rural Champion Award in 2015.  In 2018, we asked our network of partners, his peers and colleagues, to each provide a single word describing Dennis.  The results, in the “Wordle” image pictured below, were shared with Dennis and touched him greatly. These words speak volumes and testify to the inspiring and many-sided capabilities of this unusual individual – truly a virtuoso in the field.  In the words of Suzanne Anarde, LISC Vice President, Rural LISC Director and longtime friend and colleague, "We have lost a friend, a mentor and a great man, a passionate advocate for housing and rural community development, and forever a champion for the needs of struggling rural people everywhere."

A wine enthusiast and skilled story teller, Dennis’ wry sense of humor and supportive spirit will be greatly missed.

A “wordle” image with epithets from friends and colleagues shared with Dennis in May 2018, after the Rural LISC Annual Seminar in Washington, D.C.