Meet Thom Nees, Executive Director of COMMON GROUND Community Housing Trust

COMMON GROUND Community Housing Trust is a nonprofit organization that utilizes innovative solutions to address the housing crisis in the Greater Wenatchee Valley.

Nees founded Common Ground in 2020 while serving as the executive director of Serve Wenatchee Valley. Initially, Nees served as board president of the nonprofit, but his role shifted, and he became the executive director. Nees believes in the power of community coming together to address previously unmet problems that vulnerable populations face.

Recently, we caught up with Nees to learn more about him and his vision for COMMON GROUND Community Housing Trust.

Please tell our readers about Common Ground.

COMMON GROUND Community Housing Trust is focused on providing affordable housing in the Greater Wenatchee Valley. In everything we do, we believe in thinking innovatively about our housing crisis.

We act on this belief by working in partnership with our community to acquire and develop land, build attractive, quality homes, make them attainable for low- to moderate-income households, and steward them so they remain permanently affordable. Because everyone in our community should be able to live where they work and play.

How long have you been in this role?

I founded Common Ground while serving as the Executive Director of Serve Wenatchee Valley in 2020, which was initially the organization that fiscally sponsored the project. At that beginning, I served as the board president. Recently, my role shifted when I was hired as Common Ground's Executive Director.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I have lived in the valley for a total of 26 years, getting the NW mud on my feet for the first time in 1985. I am a lifelong learner who has always believed that my point of deepest peril is not when I can't figure something out, but when I am convinced I know all I need to know. I have five grown children all of whom are married and have made their homes in the Greater Wenatchee Valley and have four grandchildren. 

What led you to this position?

I was serving on Our Valley Our Future (OVOF) Housing Solutions Group and homeless task force, and the topic of housing inventory continued to surface as a critical component of affordability. Seeing that in my work at Serve Wenatchee also set a strong foundation for this work. I have long been a solutions-based leader that believes in the power of networking. 

What are you most looking forward to in your role as Executive Director at Common Ground?

I really love to see the community come together and make progress addressing big, long-term solutions to unmet problems that our most vulnerable populations face. Because I believe that big problems are not solved by one person or one organization, I look forward to serving in a role that can bring people to the table to find creative, credible solutions that will outlive us all.

What does a normal day look like as Executive Director at Common Ground?

For the past 4 years, I have been serving as the executive director of both Serve Wenatchee and Common Ground, in April I became singularly focused on Common Ground. Currently project management on our 9th Street project occupies much of my time as well as putting together the pieces to the complicated funding puzzle. I spend a lot of time meeting with community leaders and civic authorities to develop public/private partnerships to further not only our projects but also the cause for affordable housing in general in our community.

What is your favorite part of your job and why?

Meeting with diverse groups of creative, caring and passionate people who care deeply about the well-being of all in our community.

What are some of your goals for Common Ground?

Common Ground was recently funded by a Community Foundation Strategic Planning Grant that came up with a housing goal of adding 40 homes that are affordable for households earning 80% or less of our Area Median Income over the next 5 years. As a member organization, we would also like to have over 300 community members join our cause over that same time frame.

Who or what inspires you?

I have and continue to be grateful to be inspired in both big and small ways. Just yesterday, I witnessed a young man walking in downtown Wenatchee reach down and pick up several pieces of garbage and throw them in the trash can. Doesn't seem like much, but I was inspired.

I am constantly inspired by my fellow colleagues and volunteers in the nonprofit sector who give their talents, time, and energy to make the world a different place in whatever area they are working.

One particularly inspirational figure in my life has been Fred Rogers. His unwavering commitment to kindness, understanding, and community has always resonated with me. 

Mr. Rogers had a unique ability to address complex issues with compassion and simplicity, making everyone feel valued and heard. His approach to life and his belief in the goodness of people remind me of the profound impact that empathy and patience can have.

I'm also inspired by the natural world. Fly fishing, hiking, and backpacking aren't just hobbies for me—they're ways to connect with something larger than myself. The tranquility and beauty of nature provide a space for reflection and renewal, which is essential in the often-demanding field of nonprofit work. It's in these moments of quiet contemplation that I find clarity and inspiration to continue my efforts to strengthen our community.

What do you like to do with your free time?

I love this valley for its beauty, defined seasons, and outdoor activities. I love to hike, ski, bike, and am a passionate fly fisherman. I also enjoy reading.

Is there anything else you want our readers to know?

Life quote: If your dreams don't scare you to death, perhaps they're not big enough.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.