STATE COLLEGE — Colleen Ritter has been named executive director of the State College Community Land Trust, effective Sunday, Jan. 1. She succeeds Ron Quinn, who is retiring.
The State College Community Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that answers the growing need for affordable housing, and contributes to the character, vibrancy and diversity of the community by increasing home ownership opportunities in the Borough of State College, the organization said in a press release.
Celebrating 20 years of first-time homeowner successes, the SCCLT has nearly 40 properties in its program, scattered throughout the borough. The land trust has helped nearly 60 individuals and families buy their first homes through sales and resales. The group’s goals also include enhancing sustainable neighborhoods through affordable homeownership, and house upgrades that increase energy efficiency and continued affordability.
Ritter currently is the program coordinator for the land trust. She oversees the many processes involved in the program, including purchase and renovation of houses, property rehab, coordination of resales, interaction with applicants, sellers and lenders, and stewardship of SCCLT homes and households.
Susan Venegoni, SCCLT president, said, “I am thrilled Colleen will serve as our next executive director. Her years of experience will provide stability and continuity to our program and homeowners. She is uniquely poised to help us move the SCCLT into the future, with new ideas and approaches that will further the mission of the organization. I look forward to working with Colleen in her new role.
“Finally, we want to express our deep gratitude to outgoing director Ron Quinn. He has provided significant leadership to SCCLT and the community during his many years of advocacy and dedicated service to affordable housing.”
Ritter’s professional experiences include low-income housing development and housing management over the past 25 years both in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Additionally, she has served for several years on the State College Redevelopment Authority.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and professional certificates in nonprofit management and housing development finance.
