HomeSight’s Uche Okezie Wins WSHFC Friend of Housing Award

Uche Okezie, HomeSight’s Real Estate Development Director, has been awarded a 2026 Friend of Housing Award from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission in the “Unsung Hero” category.

Okezie accepted the award at the reception and awards ceremony Wednesday night during the annual Housing Washington Conference at the Spokane Convention Center

Okezie, a first-generation Nigerian immigrant, has worked in real estate for HomeSight for over 20 years. The department she leads has developed over 470 affordable for-sale homes ranging from single-family units to town homes and condominiums, adding critically needed affordable housing stock, strengthening the community’s economic base, and mitigating the consequences of gentrification.

Okezie is a key member of the Black Home Initiative (BHI) and helped conceptualize and create the Field Order 15 Fund. More than a grant program, the Field Order 15 Fund provides funds to conduct feasibility, creates eligibility for low-interest lending, and offers technical support for BIPOC developers who are building affordable homes in the communities that need these resources most.

Capital for project planning is often the first and most difficult barrier to new home construction. BIPOC homebuilders currently make up half a percent of real estate developers nationwide. The underwriting team -- which includes experts in construction lending, fund management, banking, accounting and real estate development -- provides technical support using a proprietary checklist system to guide and support builders throughout the process.

Okezie was also key to securing funds for a program expansion that enabled BIPOC developers to purchase the land on which they’ll be building. Because of the Field Order 15 Fund, over 500 units of housing have reached predevelopment.

Okezie is not just instrumental to the success of HomeSight’s development work; she is – as a woman of color in a field that is almost entirely comprised of white men – giving marginalized communities a ‘seat at the table’ in our region.

Okezie’s personal mission is to ensure those who built our neighborhoods and communities share in the benefits of its growth. All of Okezie’s work contributes to creating equitable access to opportunities, helping people to build wealth, health, and positive community connections.

HomeSight’s Real Estate Development department revitalizes neighborhoods by building sustainable, high-quality homes. These initiatives not only boost the livability and attractiveness of the neighborhoods in which they take place, but they also advance a larger goal of combating gentrification with anti-displacement real estate development.