Meet the Ghanaian-American behind New Jersey’s $100m affordable housing project

Nana Duncan, a Ghanaian-American real estate developer, is leading a transformative $100 million affordable housing project in Irvington, New Jersey, one of the state’s most underserved communities. The ambitious development, which recently broke ground, will provide homes for 240 low- and middle-income families and aims to revitalize a long-neglected neighborhood in the East Ward.

Duncan’s journey into real estate development began in an unlikely place: as a college counselor at the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City. There, she witnessed firsthand how inadequate housing impacted the lives of high school students.

“They often missed appointments because they lived in overcrowded apartments, weren’t getting enough sleep, or feared for their safety on the way to meet me,” Duncan recalled. “What I found was how much their living environment impacted their ability to access the resources that I had for them.”

That experience inspired Duncan to shift her focus to real estate, eventually transitioning from consulting to launching her own firm. Over the years, she has redeveloped more than 500,000 square feet of blighted properties, generating over $200 million in development. Now, she’s spearheading a project that not only delivers affordable housing but also reimagines urban redevelopment in New Jersey.

The Irvington property, once a thriving family neighborhood, fell into decay after the state acquired the land for a school project that never materialized. For more than a decade, the site sat vacant, its abandoned homes attracting crime and becoming hotbeds for illegal activity. Some structures were ultimately demolished, leaving behind overgrown lots and untended spaces.

Duncan’s plans for the site include three apartment buildings, four two-family homes, a 30,000-square-foot community center, and retail and restaurant spaces. The development is part of New Jersey’s broader initiative to build over 150,000 affordable housing units in the next decade, with a focus on addressing the state’s housing crisis and revitalizing urban areas.

State and federal tax credit programs are funding the project, offering lucrative incentives to investors who back affordable housing initiatives. However, the future of these programs is uncertain, as some federal tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, potentially affecting similar projects nationwide.

Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss, whose administration spent years negotiating with the state to reclaim the land, praised Duncan’s leadership. “Vacant properties bring out the worst in a community, like crime and squatting,” he said. “This project is a game-changer for the neighborhood.”

Duncan is also breaking barriers in an industry where Black and female developers remain underrepresented. “The biggest challenge is that we’re just invisible in this space,” she said. When she began her career, most women in the field held administrative roles, but she hopes her success can inspire others to follow suit.

Residents like Jonel Giles, who purchased a home in the area through an affordable housing program 14 years ago, are optimistic about Duncan’s impact. After years of stalled development plans, Giles is excited to see tangible progress. “It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been waiting and hoping,” she said.

For Duncan, the project represents more than a housing solution; it’s a chance to restore a sense of community and address systemic inequalities. “When developing urban areas, you have to think beyond the physical structure,” she said. “You have to think about the great need you’re trying to solve.”