Ms. Patton founded Collaborative Housing Solutions and oversees the firm’s management and development projects, while also consulting with owners and housing authorities, specializing in LIHTCs, Section 8 rental assistance and HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program. Richelle has been involved in the development or preservation of over 25,000 affordable rental housing units. Prior to this, she founded and co-led Tapestry Development Group, a successful development and consulting organization. Previously, she was President of real estate development for a large nonprofit affordable housing developer. Her expertise includes multi-layered financing and fostering public/private collaboration to develop mixed-income housing. She serves as subject matter expert with state and federal agencies and has served as a speaker and trainer to a variety of affordable housing stakeholder groups. She founded and co-chaired the Women’s Affordable Housing Network for 11 years, which has expanded to multiple chapters nationally. Her recognitions have included: Women in Real Estate Award from Connect Media; “ChangeMaker” from the Women’s Leadership Initiative of ULI Atlanta; top 12 Young Leaders by Affordable Housing Finance magazine; Founders Award from WAHN; POW! Award from Womenetics for serving as a model of a purposeful business woman. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of City Planning from Georgia Tech, completed an Executive Education program at the Harvard Business School, and is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta.