WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
HOUSING
Wendy Saunders
Executive Director / Capitol Area
Development Authority
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comstocksmag.com | March 2020
One of the highlights of Wendy Saunders’ career hap-
pened in December 2019. Her staff asked the board of
directors of the Capitol Area Development Agency to ac-
cept a resolution thanking the board for hiring her. The
resolution, signed by her managers, praised Saunders
as a “true leader who creates a work environment where
staff is heard and appreciated” and recognized her for
offering an open-door policy.
“It was the nicest thing that’s ever happened to me,”
says Saunders, who has been CADA’s executive director
since 2013.
CADA’s mission as a joint powers authority between
the state government and the City of Sacramento is to
make housing in the area around the Capitol more af-
fordable and manage and develop residential and com-
mercial properties. It manages 750 apartment units and
50 buildings, and the rent from those properties make
up the majority of the organization’s $10 million annual
operating budget. Saunders also oversees a staff of 50.
“We are the conduit for turning surplus state prop-
erties into housing,” she says, adding 25 percent of
that housing has to be affordable. In addition to hous-
ing, CADA’s recent projects include improvements
along the R Street Corridor, developing the Fremont
Park area, and building Truitt Bark Park for dogs at
19th and Q streets.
Saunders grew up in Ventura, graduated from UC
Santa Barbara and received her MBA from UC Davis.
She worked in economic development and redevelop-
ment for the City of Sacramento for 13 years and one
year in Stockton before joining CADA in 2013. “When I
first got here, the state was in bad financial condition,
so they were trying to take us apart,” she says. “I put
together a plan. So I did save the agency, I think.”
One of CADA’s projects for 2020 is an apartment
complex with 56 micro units (270 square feet) at 13th
and O streets. “It’s housing for people who don’t have
roofs over their heads,” Saunders says. “It’s a trendy
idea. We thought it was worth taking a risk because it’s
a small project.”
Saunders says she is most proud of completing the
R Street Corridor improvements, bringing affordable
apartments to downtown and finding artists to
paint transformer boxes around the city. She also
led the renovation of CADA’s aging office, which is
now open space, highlighted with bright, color-
ful chairs and artwork.
“When you love what you do, it encourages
people to want to be part of the team,” Saun-
ders says. “I consider all of us to be partners
in this endeavor here at CADA. I hope my
enthusiasm for what we do inf luences
how others feel about their work.”
by Judy Farah