Founder Reflects on 25 Years of Columbia Residential

This year, Columbia Residential celebrates 25 years of strengthening communities through providing quality housing, partnering with essential service providers, and employing amazing men and women across the Southeast.

In the beginning, I established Columbia Residential with the pure goal of fulfilling housing needs and enhancing the standards for residents. For too long, hardworking men and women were given few options for affordable housing. Since Columbia Residential’s inception, we have strived to use the highest quality materials, with a focus on innovation and sustainability, while also providing remarkable on-site management for residents. We seek to offer the finest in residential living and to change the face of affordable housing, one community at a time.

As I look back over the past 25 years, I think about the many friends we have made through partnerships, new opportunities, and the thousands of residents who have called our communities home. I have seen residents become employees and employees become residents. I’ve seen children of residents grow to become industrious adults, just like their parents. I have also seen my team at Columbia take properties long forgotten and turn them into beautiful communities with thoughtful design.

Over the 25 years, we have perfected our building and community types, which began to include transit-oriented and high-rise developments as the demand grew. While we began to embrace different types of developments, we never lost sight of our holistic community approach. As a nationally recognized leader of mixed-income housing, we realized very early that providing quality housing wasn’t enough. Therefore, in addition to housing, we sought partners to transform neighborhoods through educational opportunities, accessible community services, and health and recreational opportunities.

I want to express our sincere appreciation for our employees, residents, partners, and stakeholders for their loyal support as we celebrate this tremendous milestone.

In the next 25 years, Columbia Residential has an opportunity to keep innovating; to keep strengthening communities. Together, with our faith, with our partners, and with our resilience, we will continue to enhance our communities, one residence at a time.

Noel Khalil
Founder, Chairman, and CEO
Columbia Residential, LLC