We’re excited to feature Shabazz McNeill, a dedicated Property Manager with over seven years of experience managing LIHTC, Rural Development, and HUD properties. Colleagues describe Shabazz as empowering, dedicated, hardworking, visionary, and inspiring—qualities that shine through in his leadership every day. In 2024, he earned his Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) certification, reflecting his commitment to professional growth and excellence. Shabazz is passionate about bridging the gap between residents and property managers by educating others on housing programs and motivating his team to succeed.
Connect with Shabazz: LinkedIn, smcneill@chpc2.org
Q: What is your current role, and what are your main responsibilities?
Shabazz: “I am currently a Senior Property Manager responsible for overseeing 313 families in the Yorktown, Virginia area. I lead a dedicated team of seven employees who take great pride in their work, consistently going above and beyond to ensure residents enjoy sustainable, safe, and healthy living conditions.”
Q: Can you share a memorable success story or project you’ve been involved with?
Shabazz: “Through a strong understanding of our property and careful management of the budget, we successfully completed unit turnovers within the required timeframes set by the company. We upheld integrity in our work by ensuring that operations were handled transparently and responsibly, while still addressing resident needs with professionalism and care. As a result, our property ranked among the top three across the portfolio for fastest turnaround times on move-ins and move-outs.”
Q: What are some common misconceptions about affordable housing that you’d like to address?
Shabazz: “Affordable housing often carries an unfair stigma of being undesirable, poorly maintained, or even referred to negatively as ‘the ghetto.’ In reality, this perception is a misconception. The team I am proud to be part of works hard to raise the standard of affordable housing by exceeding expectations, addressing resident concerns with integrity, and continuously improving our communities. We break away from outdated models and stereotypes by ensuring properties are well cared for, residents are respected, and service is consistent across the board.
"Affordable housing is simply housing—and our commitment is to provide quality, safe, and welcoming homes for all families."
Q: How do you stay motivated and passionate about your work in the face of challenges?
Shabazz: “What keeps me motivated is seeing how the youth in our community look up to us. They believe in us, and that pushes us to keep going—not just for ourselves, but for them. We want them to see that they can stay motivated and chase their best every single day. At the same time, we’re bringing back the idea that it takes a village—because real success happens when we rise together.”
Q: How would you sum up your experience with the Housing Leadership Institute in one sentence?
"What inspires me most is connecting with people from different walks of life who share the same drive and goals, creating an energy that pushes us all forward."
About the Housing Leadership Institute
The Housing Leadership Institute (HLI) is a 10-month intensive and targeted program created and implemented by the Virginia Housing Alliance. The Alliance and its partners designed the program to leverage training, coaching, and peer support. Each year, we help 15 mid-career housing professionals foster and grow leadership skills. Through the program, participants create a career development plan to catalyze their leadership trajectory.
The program consists of 7 virtual sessions, 3 in-person retreats across the Commonwealth, 5 one-on-one coaching sessions, readings and reflections to supplement each session, and additional networking and professional development opportunities.
Learn more about HLI or contact Arley Bell at abell@vahousingalliance.org.