September 12, 2024
Our Speaker this week is Dwayne Williams, President/CEO, Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corp. His topic is: "Bringing Hope and Prosperity Back to an Urban Neighborhood."
Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation (TSHDC) is on a mission to improve the quality of life for residents of Kansas City’s most challenged urban neighborhoods: safer, cleaner streets; attractive and affordable homes; thriving businesses; inviting parks and playgrounds; neighbors who know each other.
Mr. Dwayne Williams has over 30 years of managerial experience in operations and serves as the President/CEO of the Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation, an organization that has built and rehabbed a number of homes in the Urban Core of Kansas City Missouri.
Additionally, Mr. Williams started the Prison-to-Workforce Pipeline, a re-entry program for individuals who have been recently released from the prison system. The program is available to men and women to aid in successful transitions back into society. In 2013, Twelfth Street Heritage’s re-entry program was recognized in the Seventh Day Adventist Outlook magazine. The program was also recognized and rewarded on March 19th, 2015 as a Ford Freedom Unsung Hero Honoree. To date, TSHDC’s re-entry program has hired approximately 150 men and women.
In 2010, Mr. Williams also added a Youth Mentoring program to the expanding role of Twelfth Street Heritage. To date, this program has mentored thousands of youth in the urban core – nearly 5000 youth in 2018.
The Prison-to-Workforce Pipeline program has become a critical reentry and re-socialization tool that connects ex-offenders with civic leaders, police representatives, business owners, and elected officials to facilitate their reintegration into society. This program is more than just a reentry initiative—it’s changing the face of the community.
One of the projects is Twelfth Street Heritage Development and Flaherty & Collins Properties have been selected by HUD and the City to revitalized the Parade Park Homes. This $275M project is a monumental step towards continuation of revitalizing Kansas City’s East Side, introducing over 1,000 new housing units including , affordable, workforce and senior housing with the opportunity of homeownership for all income levels. It’s an exciting time to shape the future of our community! In addition, there is a new development project underway.
