Jim Hatfield is a real estate development and redevelopment professional with nearly 20 years of experience leading complex housing, mixed-use, and community development initiatives across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

As the former Chief Development Officer for Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), Jim led the organization’s real estate development platform, overseeing more than $75 million annually in redevelopment, rehabilitation, and new construction activity. His experience spans all phases of development, including project planning, site acquisition, design coordination, financial structuring, public-private partnerships, tax credit financing, stakeholder engagement, and construction execution.

Throughout his career, Jim has developed specialized expertise in affordable housing, mixed-income communities, supportive housing, and veteran-focused developments. He played a key leadership role in the creation of two permanent supportive housing communities serving Veterans and vulnerable populations through HUD-VASH. During his tenure with KCDC, Jim also led two of the agencies largest redevelopments of former public housing that included several HUD grant and development programs including Section 202, Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), Section 18, and Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI). His work has included assembling complex funding structures utilizing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), tax-exempt bonds, federal and local funding sources, and public-private partnerships.

In addition to his affordable housing experience, Jim has advised on redevelopment initiatives involving Tax Increment Financing (TIF), PILOT agreements, land repositioning strategies, and urban redevelopment planning. He has worked extensively with municipalities, housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, lenders, architects, contractors, and community stakeholders to advance transformative projects from concept through completion.

Prior to his work in affordable housing and redevelopment, Jim held leadership roles in real estate investment, acquisitions, asset management, and hospitality development with organizations including Sage Hospitality, Madison Capital Management, and Tishman Realty & Construction.

Jim is a graduate of Cornell University and is passionate about helping mission-driven organizations deliver high-quality housing and redevelopment projects that create lasting community impact.