White House Opportunity Zone Conference

White House Hosts Co-Founder of A Safe Haven at Opportunity Zone Conference

April 17th, 2018, The White House, Washington DC. US President Donald Trump introduced Neli Vazquez Rowland as a testimonial at the Inaugural Opportunity Zone Conference featuring A Safe Haven as an inspirational and innovative model for helping the address the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform and affordable housing through opportunity zone investments which can help rebuild the lives of America’s most vulnerable populations.

Yesterday, over 170 people from across the Nation attended the White House Opportunity Zones Conference with State, Local, Tribal, and Community Leaders.

The Opportunity Zone conference included remarks from federal leaders Doug Hoelscher, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director, Intergovernmental Affairs, Kevin Hassett, Assistant to the President & Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Department of Treasury, Secretary Ben Carson, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and Larry Kudlow, Assistant to the President & Director, National Economic Council.

Followed by two panel discussions with Federal, State, & Community Leaders including Joe Grogan, Assistant to the President & Director, Domestic Policy Council. Scott Turner, Executive Director of the White House Opportunity & Revitalization Council, who served as Moderator for a panel discussion among other City, State and Investment group leaders. Closing remarks, were made by Brooke Rollins, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives.

More than 20 years ago, she and her husband started a project called A Safe Haven, which provides people in crisis with housing and drug treatment, workforce training and jobs. Neli has helped more than 100,000 men and women overcome poverty and achieve a better life. It’s a very inspirational story.…Real entrepreneurial.” – Official Introduction by President Donald Trump

It was an honor to be invited to the White House and to be featured as a testimonial regarding A Safe Haven’s approach and integrated model designed to address the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform and affordable housing with President Trump, Cabinet Members, Mayors and other dignitaries and guests at the Opportunity Zone conference. We look forward to building on our 25 years of experience with public and private partnerships and to continue do our part to help transform lives and communities in a sustainable manner” – Neli Vazquez Rowland, President A Safe Haven Foundation.

Neli’s remarks begin at  1:26:42