Jason Vargas brings over 25 years of national experience leading affordable housing, mixed-use, commercial, and community development initiatives. Driven by a mission to prevent displacement and anchor community wealth, he specializes in structuring complex public-private partnerships, leveraging financial tools like Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) to secure permanently affordable community land. Over his career, Jason has directed real estate initiatives totaling more than 3,300 residential units and $4.5 billion in development value across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Prior to joining NCLT, Jason co-founded Town Development Group and Creative Development Partners, firms dedicated to helping urban small business owners gain economic control through real estate ownership. He also served as the Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development for the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), where he scaled the organization's portfolio past $1 billion and spearheaded major community-anchoring developments including Fruitvale Transit Village II, Swans Market, and Restore Oakland.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Real Estate Development & Finance from the University of Maryland. He is a LEED Accredited Professional affiliated with the Urban Land Institute and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.