Meet our Founder

Chloe J. Coney - Founder; President-CEO 1992-2006

Chloe J. Coney was reared in Tampa, Florida, educated in Hillsborough County public schools and received her BS degree in Sociology/Corrections from Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, Florida. She earned a Master Degree in Biblical Counseling from Florida Beacon Bible College, Largo, Florida.

Mrs. Coney is married to Pastor Ernest Coney, Sr., and together they have 4 children, and one granddaughter.

She began her career as a Probation and Parole Officer with the Department of Corrections. Throughout her career she also worked as an Intake Counselor-Mediator with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Hillsborough County; Branch Manager for Sarah Coventry Jewelry; and Marketing Representative for Florida Power Inc., Clearwater, Florida.

In 1989; she became the Manager of Lee Davis Neighborhood Service Center, the largest "One Stop Social and Medical Center" in Hillsborough County, (36,000 sq. ft.). As the Manager of the Center, Mrs. Coney led the efforts to restore a sense of pride, ownership, and community in Tampa's East Side neighborhoods.

In 1992, she founded the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (formerly Lee Davis Neighborhood Development rporation), a grassroots community-based development corporation that focuses on neighborhood revitalization strategies such as economic development to establish new businesses, create jobs, and develop affordable housing back into the toughest neighborhoods of Hillsborough County (East Tampa).

Her work was fondly titled "The Nehemiah Project - Community Building Brick by Brick".

Mrs. Coney led the CDC of Tampa, Inc. in leveraging over $25 million dollars in joint venture projects in her East Tampa neighborhood during her tenure as President and CEO of the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc.

During her tenure as President and CEO of the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. Mrs. Coney led the CDC of Tampa, Inc. in leveraging over $25 million dollars in joint venture projects in her East Tampa neighborhood. Her notable successes are listed below:

Nehemiah Coin Laundromat (Lake Ave. & 29th St.) – 25 washers, 25 dryers, meeting room, TV room, and a play area. East Tampa Business Incubator ( Martin Luther King Blvd.) – 6 small minority business owners.

Audrey Spotford Youth and Family Center (Lake Ave. & 28th St.) – 5,000 sq. ft. building with Print Center, Computer lab, classrooms, tutorial services; construction to be completed November, 2000.

One Stop Capital Center (E. Hillsborough Ave.) – NationsBank donated their branch building to CDC of Tampa, Inc.; services co-located: Job Placement and Training Center, Entrepreneurship center, Housing Services, and Administration.

29th Street Open Air Market (Lake Ave. & 29th St.); 1,200 sq. ft. shelter to provide space for 12 small vendors to sell products.

Housing Development:

Belmont Heights Development with 25 single family homes in partnership with the Bank of America CDC and CDC of Tampa, Inc.

Osborne Landing with 43 apartments of 2 and 3 bedrooms in partnership with Bank of America CDC, GMN, Inc., and CDC of Tampa, Inc.