In the 1920s, John Crosland Sr. struggled to build a thriving real estate and lumber business in Charlotte, N.C., only to lose it all—as millions did—in the Great Depression. But perhaps most painful for him was losing his own house and having to depend on his mother to shelter his young family.
John Crosland Jr. was barely out of nursery school when his father suffered that setback, but he has never forgotten the hard lessons of the '30s, and the value of a home as the centerpiece of family life. Even amid remarkable growth, beginning with the founding of the John Crosland Co. in 1937 to build single-family homes to a present-day diversified real estate empire valued at more than $1.5 billion, the Croslands have always served as strong advocates of affordable housing.
At the same time, John Crosland Jr. has kept his father's values alive by aggressively supporting all manner of causes in his hometown of Charlotte: Habitat for Humanity, scholarships for children in public housing, generous donations to hospitals and colleges, community revitalization, and much more.
“Over the years, John has provided leadership, donated countless hours, and made considerable financial contributions to organizations focused on building stronger communities and families,” says Paul Leonard, a former Crosland executive who recently headed Habitat for Humanity.
TOTAL COMMITMENT: John Crosland Jr., left, seen here with Bert Green, executive director of Habitat for Humanity–Charlotte, N.C., has spearheaded countless projects in his hometown—from affordable housing and education to the arts and healthcare.
Those who know Crosland will tell you that he never does anything halfway. It's always full steam ahead. Case in point is his love affair with Habitat for Humanity, the nation's premier “sweat equity” program to shelter low-income families.
In 1983, Crosland learned that a group of Charlotte churches wanted to do something about housing the poor, recalls Bert Green, executive director of the Charlotte affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Crosland's reaction: Shuttle the church leaders down to Habitat's Americus, Ga., headquarters. Says Green: “John was captivated by Millard Fuller's (Habitat founder) passion, energy, and drive, and he wanted to be part of a mission that was much bigger than his own causes in Charlotte.”
As a result of that visit, Crosland founded Habitat's Charlotte affiliate and served as its chairman for six years. He personally contributed $190,000 toward the construction of six homes and inspired countless others in the city to lend their support to the organization. A highlight of those early years was Habitat's 1987 selection of Charlotte as the site of the weeklong Jimmy Carter work project. The event drew enormous press coverage, including photos of Crosland and President Carter lifting a sheet of drywall.
Since then, Habitat's Charlotte affiliate has grown to become one of the nation's strongest, housing some 700 families over the years. And the nonprofit continues to be the cause closest to Crosland's heart. “It is a ministry where you bring together for one very good purpose the affluent and the people who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads,” he says.
Not only has he continued to be a staunch supporter, but key Crosland executives have served as active board members of Habitat-Charlotte, including Todd Mans-field, who took over as Crosland's president and CEO from Crosland himself in 1999.
FORCEFUL LEADERMansfield notes that Crosland is “legendary” in his outspoken opposition to regulations that add to building costs and can ultimately price families out of housing. “To this day, he still writes letters to government officials,” says Mansfield.