Bob Kent

Keys4Homes, Founding Member
Encinitas Resident

“I enjoy this kind of work. I enjoy giving back ...”

In the summer of 2017, I decided to leave the Community Resource Center where I had been the Chief Financial Officer. I oversaw all the finances there for almost three years. I decided to take a break, after working pretty much nonstop for 35 years.  

A few months after I left CRC, I received an email from Sue Reynolds, the CEO of Community Housing Works asking that I attend a city council meeting regarding the housing element here in Encinitas, my hometown of 30 years. I knew peripherally about the housing element as a voter, but not all the ins and outs of the process.  I soon learned the city owned a piece of property called “L7” and by supporting its inclusion into the housing element we could have an affordable community here in Encinitas. So, I decided to go to the housing meeting as Sue had suggested. 

I've known Sue over 20 years, and I have volunteered with some CHW resident boards by helping their members read and interpret the financial statements and financial activities of the affordable housing communities where they live. More specifically, I help the resident board members understand the revenues, expenses and budgets, and how and why their’ community’s financial decisions are made. 

I enjoy this kind of work. As someone who's been in finance as a CFO & CPA, I have worked for smaller for profit and not for profit organizations over my career. I enjoy giving back, and giving back on a grassroots level is most  satisfying for me. 

I guess I’m just more comfortable meeting and helping people on a personal basis. . Maybe that's because in my career I’ve been focused on numbers, spreadsheets, plans and budgets. They are really important when executing a business plan, but I think the more human connection was a missing piece for me, at least until I my work at CRC. 

When I went to the first few housing element meetings here in Encinitas, I realized how passionate and fervent many people were on the different sides of the issue. And over the next several months, I saw how difficult it was to bring folks together. At these meetings, I got a much better sense of why Encinitas has struggled to get quality affordable homes built.

The biggest takeaway for me in the first few meetings was seeing the divisions among us.  So, during this journey I've committed myself to not using labels to describe groups of people, especially those I disagree with. I think labeling creates silos and divisions that are really hard to bridge and get in the way of solving our already difficult housing challenges.

As I began going to meetings, I started to ask other people to attend as well. and I began thinking about how to best advocate for change and for the building of affordable homes for our seniors, millennials and essential workers.  It was then that was I was asked to speak.  Perhaps it was Sue who suggested it. I think she said something like, “When you speak, maybe you should include these things in what you're saying.” I quickly said,” Oh, I'm not speaking, I don't speak in public.” I don't feel comfortable speaking in front of groups. That's just not how I'm wired. 

However, I realized that, in this journey, I had to walk the talk, and that meant pushing myself a bit, by standing up publicly and advocating for the many community members and workers who need affordable housing. Over time, with the support from people in the community and my mentors, I did start to have more of a public presence.   In doing so, I have come to realize I can help provide a voice for those in the community who need affordable housing, but may not be as comfortable speaking about it in public.

I also met Lois Sunrich in January of 2018 at a city council meeting. Sue introduced us. That’s when we began to put together Keys4Homes. I don't think there was a specific moment where I thought, I need to be more of a leader, be out front. I’m a more of an analytical thinker and more comfortable behind the scenes---versus a visionary or motivator or organizer, which are skills outside of my core competency. At the same time, I have become passionate and remain so in support of building affordable homes here in my community, because in my heart and head, it’s the right thing to do.