Nicetown CDC

Executive Team

About Nicetown CDC

Mission

History

Executive Team

Staff

Nicetown CDC Mission

The NTCDC mission is to dynamically improve the quality of life in Nicetown and surrounding communities, by establishing sustainable community economic development.

We fulfill our mission with a holistic and inclusive approach to goals and objectives that prioritize public safety; mobilization through “re-education” and training; affordable housing development; commercial corridor revitalization; arts & culture, and land care. The capacity to implement these goals and objectives is optimized by our strategic partnerships, collaborations, and volunteerism, with those that share a common purpose with our mission.

Nicetown CDC History

The NTCDC was founded in 1999 by members who collectively bring decades of experience in developing the community. Our expertise has been the foundation for stabilizing and developing Nicetown’s local economy, affordable housing, and open spaces. We directly provide supportive services, community education & organizing, land care, and special events coordination. The NTCDC headquarters is located at 4414 Germantown Avenue, a historically significant property recognized by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission as one of the strengths of Nicetown.

Executive Team

Zakariyya Abdur Rahman

President & CEO

Zakariyya founded the Nicetown Community Development Corporation (NTCDC) in 1999 and was later elected its President/CEO. Under Zakariyya’s leadership, the NTCDC has emerged as one of the most successful CDCs in Philadelphia. This includes their award-winning mixed-use developments Nicetown Court I & II, ($35 million) adjacent to the historic Wayne Junction train station. Anchor commercial tenants in these developments include Temple Physicians Inc, and Offices of the 8th City Council District, PA State Senator and the NAACP Philadelphia Chapter. The NTCDC is in pre-development of their $9 million Sport Court plan.
This project will establish connectivity and mitigate storm water while bringing skate paths, basketball courts, an amphitheater and rain gardens beneath the Roosevelt Boulevard that cuts across Nicetown’s commercial corridor. Zakariyya leads the Project User (Developer) Team of two Rebuild Projects- Barrett Playground
($15 million) Shepard Recreation Center ($18 million) and an affordable homeownership project to stabilize housing stock in the Shepard/Haddington catchment area. In partnership with the PA Horticultural Society,
Land management is a major part of the NTCDC programs and projects. The NTCDC manages more than
700 vacant parcels of land, administers the Same Day Work & Pay Program and created a landscaping
company. Zakariyya is leading his teams now and to the future with sustainable community economic development that is impactful and built to last.

Majeedah Rashid

Chief Operating Officer

Majeedah is the Chief Operating Officer of the Nicetown CDC and since 2003, has become known for her resident driven community organizing and supportive services delivery with the Nicetown CDC/NAC Program. This includes serving a fifteen-census tract service area that encompasses all of Nicetown as well as three other adjacent neighborhoods. Schools, police districts, faith and community-based organizations and City agencies, etc.- Majeedah is the Program Administrator for the Nicetown CDC’s Nice Space Empowerment Program, a unique violence prevention initiative that focuses on entrepreneurship and work readiness, mental/behavioral/trauma therapy, workshops and sessions that engage and empower participants to avoid risky behaviors that lead to violence. The program features Black History and culture that connects to all of these activities and participants get exposure to valuable activities they may have never experienced. Community support and impact is a major leveraging component with development and Majeedah has also been a lynchpin in making Nicetown CDC development projects a reality. From affordable housing to commercial tenants Majeedah’s relationship building extends from the community to corporations, City, State and Federal Administration and beyond. Under the guidance and leadership of the NTCDC
President & CEO and her Teams, Majeedah is helping to put the Nice Back In “The Town”.

Taherrah Abdur-Rahman

Fiscal Manager

Taherrah is a co-founder of Nicetown Community Development Corporation and helped to establish its mission, goals and objectives. She has served as the Fiscal Manager since the inception of the organization. Taherrah provides oversight of financial administration including: payroll, accounts payable and receivables, job costing, cash management, general ledger, inventory, banking and reconciliations.

Stanley Crawford

Board Chairman

Stanley Crawford graduated from Simon Gratz High School in 1969; under the Cedar Program he attained a certification in Auto Mechanics. He earned an Associate’s Degree in Electronic Technology from Berean Institute in 1985. Stanley spent four years in the U.S. Army from 1976 to 1980 as a Quality Control Inspector before being honorably discharged. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army Reserves. Stanley retired from the city of Philadelphia after 28 ½ years as a Commercial and Industrial Fire Inspector II. Stanley was also an entrepreneur, owned and
operated a non-alcohol restaurant in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia for four years. Stanley traveled the world teaching African and African American culture as a member of the Arthur Hall African American Dance Ensemble. He helps build and create the first African American Museum in the state of Pennsylvania. Stanley has also worked in the Recovery Community for over 33 years; assisting people with drug addictions find recovery. Stanley is Co-founder of the Nicetown Community Development Corporation, where he has been on the Board for 20 years and is presently Chairman of the Board. As a Founding Member under his leadership as a Board Member the Nicetown CDC has facilitated over 50 million dollars in projects in the Nicetown section of the City of Philadelphia. As a result of the murder of his son William Aboaje Samir Crawford in 2018, Stanley founded The Black Male Community Council of Philadelphia and is presently the President/CEO of BMCCP. The purpose of the organization is to decrease violence in the City of Philadelphia. Under Stanley leadership BMCCP now have the Families of Unsolved Murders Project, B-Men (Black Men Engaging Neighborhoods), BMCCP Female Support Team, Project Uplift, Victims Impact Program, Correlations with Local, State and National Grass Roots Organizations. Stanley believes, “The most valuable thing we have is our time and energy, use wisely it is more valuable than any material possessions.”

Staff Team

Kerry Wilson

Land Management & Property Supervisor

Intisar Shah

Supportive Services Coordinator

Safiya Bankhead

NTCDC/NAC Coordinator

Lydia Dunlap

NTCDC/NAC Data & Outreach Coordinator

Kadeejah Carter

NTCDC/NAC Program Assistant

Teresa Millard

Corridor Cleaning & Maintenance