ABOUT ROCK

Leon Rock, M. Ed.

Rock works with CDCs, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, city, county, state, and Federal agencies to help rebuild urban neighborhoods and communities while preserving affordable housing and developing economic development programs. He works to promote racial equity and strives to increase diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency in all aspects of his work. He has partnered with local residents and key community stakeholders to help address existing community challenges and changing them into opportunities for growth.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GURU - CULTIVATING TO CREATE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 

Leon Nathaniel Rock, M. Ed. is a highly regarded, respected and experienced housing and community economic development subject matter expert. He has successfully managed over 50 Federal Housing and Community Development technical assistance projects throughout the United States. He has served as a grant writer, senior consultant, senior associate and principal consultant to dozens of nonprofits, community development corporations, resident organizations, faith-based organizations, and Federal agencies.  Rock has worked with dozens of housing and community development agencies on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD), including but not limited to the Housing Authority of New Orleans, Daytona Beach Housing Authority, Housing Authority of Winston-Salem, the  Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, and the  Orlando Housing Authority.

 

 

For over four decades he has worked to successfully develop sustainable community engagement, community capacity building, planning, and implementation efforts throughout the United States. As a subject matter expert regarding community development he has worked as a project expeditor/consultant for the U.S.  Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) headquarters in Washington, D.C.  He has worked with over 30 U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C., Buffalo, New Orleans. Kansas City, Missouri, East St. Louis, Winston-Salem, and Chicago regarding the implementation of their housing and neighborhood revitalization plans. He has worked with local residents associations, community development corporations, and developers to relocate low-income families in transit-accessible neighborhoods where schools, jobs, health care, and other cultural resources are all within reach, making it easier for low-income families to be productive citizens.

Credentials

Highly Credentialed

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Rock holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, College of Public and Community Service, along with a Master's degree from Cambridge College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is also a graduate of Yale University, Drug, and Alcohol Dependence Institue along with Vanderbilt University, Recovery, and Capable Communities Training Program. 

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT

A nationally recognized Subject Matter Expert in the field of Community Development, Strategic Planning, Community Capacity-Building, Low-income Resident  Empowerment, Reentry Services, Relocation, Multiuse Development, Asset Mapping Community Engagement, and Grant Acquisition.