For many affordable housing professionals, the path into the industry begins with a personal connection that inspires them to pursue a career dedicated to making a meaningful impact. Merritt Scholar Jennifer Flores discovered her passion for affordable housing through her relationship with Southwood resident Guille Alvarado, who invited her into the developing mobile home community while Jennifer was an undergraduate at the University of Virginia. As residents navigated the planning and rezoning process, Jennifer learned how effective urban planning and stable housing can make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives.
Jennifer supported Southwood residents by helping with childcare and translating during zoning workshops, but it was her relationship with Guille that left the deepest impression. She came to regard Guille as an adopted mother, and the two remained close as Jennifer continued her education and began building her career. Although Guille passed away before Jennifer completed her master’s degree, her influence continues to shape Jennifer’s journey. Today, sharing Guille’s story is one way Jennifer honors her memory and the profound impact she had on the direction of her life.
Jennifer’s passion for community also has roots in her childhood in Houston. Growing up in a lower-income neighborhood, she noticed disparities between her community and others around her, including something as fundamental as the absence of sidewalks. These early observations reinforced her understanding of how the built environment influences opportunity and quality of life.
After beginning her career on the East Coast, Jennifer moved to the Bay Area to further her education and pursue new opportunities in affordable housing. The transition meant rebuilding her professional network and establishing a new sense of community. Balancing graduate school, full-time work, and life in a new state brought its share of challenges.
The Merritt Scholars program became an important part of helping Jennifer find her footing. She initially saw the program as an opportunity to build a professional network in California, where she had few industry connections. Through Merritt, she gained a deeper understanding of the affordable housing landscape, the organizations shaping the industry, and what different career paths actually look like beyond their job descriptions.
Some of Jennifer’s favorite memories are the experiences she shared with her fellow Scholars —from attending industry conferences together to late-night conversations and reading journal entries together. What began as professional networking grew into genuine friendships that have continued beyond the program.
Today, Jennifer is building her career in affordable housing finance as an Associate Banker at J.P. Morgan, a path she sees herself pursuing for the long term. As she gains experience, Jennifer looks forward to developing an even deeper understanding of the complexities of affordable housing finance and exploring how creative financial solutions can help advance affordable housing development.
When an opportunity arose at J.P. Morgan, the relationships Jennifer had built through Merritt Scholars became a valuable source of support. Her position as a Merritt Scholar helped reinforce her qualifications and strengths as she pursued the position, complementing the experience and professional connections she brought to the opportunity. Jennifer was ultimately selected for the role—illustrating how the relationships fostered through Merritt Scholars can support emerging leaders taking the next step in their careers.
Looking ahead, Jennifer hopes to build on the progress historically marginalized individuals have made in gaining representation in banking and finance. As she continues to grow her career and put down roots in the Bay Area, she looks forward to paying forward the support she’s received by mentoring others, sharing what she’s learned, and helping the next generation find their own path into banking, finance, and affordable housing.
In a relatively niche industry, building connections extends far beyond professional opportunities — it’s about finding people who have a shared commitment to the work and genuinely want to see one another succeed. Jennifer has found that the relationships built through Merritt reflect this spirit, growing beyond professional connections into genuine, lasting friendships. She continues to spend time with fellow Scholars and is grateful for the community they have built together.
“Merritt welcomed me home to California and embraced me with a warm hug,” Jennifer said. “I will always be Merritt’s biggest cheerleader.”
About Merritt Community Capital Corporation
As a nonprofit investor and lender in affordable housing, Merritt Community Capital Corporation has invested more than $1.7 billion to create and preserve over 12,500 affordable homes, providing housing for more than 30,000 residents. For over 35 years, Merritt’s mission has remained at the core of its work.
Merritt partners with mission-aligned developers and funders to tackle some of the most challenging and impactful affordable housing projects. Through equity and lending capital, Merritt provides flexible financing solutions designed to meet today’s needs while preserving affordability for the future.
Through its Commitment to Community (C2C) initiative, Merritt extends its impact by investing in people—attracting, training, and retaining the next generation of affordable housing leaders.
Merritt is also the west coast member of the National Association of State and Local Equity Funds (NASLEF), which empowers locally engaged, mission-driven housing and community investment partners to build thriving communities.