OUR MISSION
The Global Housing Foundation
WHO WE ARE
GHF is a Non-Profit, United Nations NGO Partner with UN HABITAT devoted to leveraging the expertise and resources of the private real estate community to build affordable housing for the working poor. We facilitate the provision of affordable housing in assisting the implementation of Part A of the Habitat Agenda of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
To produce sustainable solutions which provide affordable homes through access to resources, empowering creative minds and connecting and mobilizing a global network of stakeholders committed to socially responsible housing strategies.
Global Housing Foundation Leaders
Board of Directors

Owen Gwyn
Chairperson Emeritus
Owen Gwyn, as Founder and Chairman of GEOCORP and President of North Carolina Estates, has served the global real estate community since 1976. He has brokered transactions as diverse as the rich land from which they spring. It’s a land stretching from the mountains to the sea.
This is a land so rich in natural beauty that the state’s Constitution mandates him to “conserve and protect all lands and water and…to preserve as a part of the common heritage… its forests, wetlands, estuaries, beaches, historical sites, open lands, and places of beauty.” Striving to meet this challenge he served as a Founding Member of the State of North Carolina Travel & Tourism Board. Owen’s pro-activism in this regard led him to become a Charter Member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Real Estate Program as a Certified Historic Property Specialist.
The National Trust is the leader of America’s historic preservation movement in the private sector and was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1949. Art is indeed, a skill acquired by experience, and his broad based experience includes service as World President of The International Real Estate Federation. Founded in Paris in 1948, this prestigious real estate network boasts members from over sixty countries, and provides potential international contacts from within all real property sectors. His extensive involvement with United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations has fostered his advocacy and support of the Millennium Development Goals. In addition to his work as Chairman of the Global Housing Foundation which partners with UN Habitat, he serves as a Trustee of KIAsia which has offered development assistance for the past 16 years in the Greater Mekong Delta Region of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Owen’s appreciation of the diverse cultures among our global partners explains his belief that experience is achieved in the global classroom. The multinational nature of financial markets and communication has shown us that our target markets are more identifiable by preferences than by nationality. Possessing the ability to successfully articulate this extraordinary value proposition, a true “World Citizen,” he was awarded the International Property Consultant designation from the Federation, and his accreditation as a Certified International Property Specialist from the National Association of Realtors furthered his expertise which enables him to provide a full spectrum of real estate consulting, assistance and support.

Sharon K. Young
President / Executive Director and Treasurer
Sharon K. Young is Founder of S. K. Young & Associates, a personal service consulting firm for both large and small projects. She is a speaker and teacher at conferences and universities throughout the world and has been quoted by numerous global publications including the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. A complete chapter of a published career book was devoted to her accomplishments. She has served for several years as NGO Delegate to the United Nations for FIABCI and for Global Housing Foundation. She is President of FIABCI-USA. Her background spans the gamut of successful endeavors including heading the personnel department of an international manufacturing company, acting as manager for an international, New York Stock Exchange listed, oil & gas company, managing a foundry for the largest independent jobbing foundry company in the US, establishing a successful real estate company in the midst of the worst real estate depression since the 1930s, serving as CEO of Associations of Realtors®, and creating a multiple listing service company for Realtors® and the public that grew from nothing to a multi-million dollar (in assets) company in less than 5 years.

Frank K. Young
Frank K. Young heads several companies, including Young Properties and Knight Resources.
His undergraduate University education includes studies in engineering, geology, and business. Graduate work includes a law degree and post graduate work in business.
He has a broad background in International law, Business, Real Estate, Engineering, Geology, Mining and Energy. He has addressed or presented papers in many forums including the Southwest Legal Institute, and is recipient of numerous awards, commendations and citations from national and international professional energy and real estate organizations.
He has contributed time and resources to many industry and professional organizations and is:
Vice President Finance Committee for FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation
Former Director for FIABCI-USA
Former National Association of Realtors President’s Liaison to Norway
Past Director and Past Vice President of the American Association of Professional Landmen
Past regional board member for Independent Petroleum Association of America
Founding member Oklahoma Wildcatter’s Club
Charter member of National Association of Division Order Analysts
Current or past member of many Professional and Industry organizations, including among others:
International Oil Scouts Association
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
American Petroleum Institute
Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States
Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association
Specialties include broad knowledge of real estate development, investment, and sales. Complete knowledge of all aspects and forms of energy, including fossil fuel, bio-fuel, hydro-electric, wind and solar energy, together with knowledge of transportation, distribution and conversion from one form to another.
He is also experienced as President and/or CEO of Real Estate, Oil & Gas, and Investment companies, both public and private.

Robyn Frank

Debbie Frank Petersen

Alyssa Nightingale

Colette Fraenkel

Christopher Lee

Justin Means
Advisory Board

Narelle Townsend
Founding Member • Advisory Board

Katherine Shahani
Advisory Board

Jose Boyd
Advisory Board
HISTORY
Global Housing Foundation (GHF) was launched in 1999 when its late founder, E. René Frank took up a challenge from the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements (UNCHS) as to why the private real estate industry did not do more to help solve the housing crisis around the world. GHF’s mission is to energize the private sector to do more by establishing effective partnerships to create housing for the working poor. René Frank hoped that he and others in his industry could make a real contribution to alleviating the deplorable living conditions in many of the world’s inner-city slums.
GHF was established as an independent, U.S. and European based not-for-profit organization that leverages the expertise and resources of the private real estate community to build new affordable housing for the working poor around the world. René Frank received immediate cooperation from the UNCHS (UN-HABITAT) and other United Nations’ agencies, including sponsorship from FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation. He was also moved by the generous response of colleagues in the American and international real estate industries.

René Frank
Founder of Global Housing Foundation, Winner of the 2002 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award