Sharon D. Guest has been working in the affordable housing arena for more than 24 years. She has been directly involved in the financing and development of more than 50 housing projects totaling nearly $850MM in total development costs. In her various roles, Sharon has partnered with Churches, Non-profits, and Public Housing Authorities. She has worked in partnership with local municipalities, community development departments, housing finance agencies, as well as local community groups in and around metro Atlanta, other areas of Georgia and the Southeast. She has led the structuring and closing of complex developments, that include Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Tax Exempt Bonds, TAD, various Bonds and Grants, local and state HOME, RAD, FHA and conventional financing and various local and federal rental subsidies.

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Prior to launching Radiant Development Partners (January 2023), a real estate development company whose focus is developing obtainable & equitable diverse housing options, Sharon held various leadership roles during her career. Most recently, she served as President of Affordable Housing for the Vecino Group, a national development company. She oversaw the strategic direction and operations of the affordable housing development division which included four regional offices and territories expanding over 12 states.

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Sharon served as the Senior Vice President of the Benoit Group, prior to Vecino, closing four-4% LIHTC/Tax-Exempt Bond/FHA financing transactions totaling more than $115M, in under three years. These deals were uniquely different and complex. Sterling and Candler in DeKalb County, Georgia was a new construction senior community comprised of 180 units. This development had been in various stages of predevelopment for ten years prior to her involvement. She also closed Wheat Street Tower, 208 units of senior housing and Bethel Towers, 180 units of family housing, both located on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. These transactions were complicated substantial rehabs that included relocation and Section 8 HAP assignments. In addition, Sharon successfully secured development opportunities with the East Point Housing Authority. Her bold vision of a multi-phased senior community resulted in Hillcrest Senior, 180 new construction units. Sharon closed this transaction in December 2018. The success of Hillcrest led to the successful closing of Phase II, which occurred post her tenure. She also spearheaded Benoit's successful procurement of the redevelopment  of Englewood Manor with Atlanta Housing.

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Sharon sharpened her knowledge of public financing and began crafting complex deal structures, serving dual roles as President of the Housing Development Corporation of DeKalb County, the non-profit arm of the Housing Authority of DeKalb and Vice President of the Housing Authority of DeKalb. She was responsible for creating a development division and its strategic direction. She immediately stabilized the portfolio by refinancing and rehabbing of its largest multi-family's assets using FHA insured financing. Even more impactful, she converted the Authority's entire public housing portfolio using the RAD Demonstration. This conversion resulted in the demolition and deconcentrating of Tobie Grant Manor, a 200-unit public housing community. The $85M redevelopment resulted in the five (5) new LIHTC development incorporating more than 400 units. This conversion was the 2nd RAD transaction to close in the country, during the government shutdown. It was also the first conversion of its size to convert all its public housing units.

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Prior to joining the Housing Authority, Sharon worked as a Regional Director of Development for Mercy Housing where she was responsible for projects in the southeast from concept to conversion. She also participated in strategic planning for the region. Sharon started her development career in Columbia Residential. As a Senior Project Manager, she managed seven (7) affordable housing projects, in various phases, that had all intricate layered financing such as, 9% LIHTC, HOME, HOPE VI, and AHP. She was President of Columbia Residential Property Management for several years prior to moving to development which provided a comprehensive 360 insight on both development and operations.

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Sharon began her work in the affordable housing industry at the Atlanta Development Authority and later joined the Department of Community Affairs. She is a 2020 ULI Center for Leadership graduate. She has been recognized as the Atlanta Business League 2021 Women of Influence, as well as ULI's Atlanta WLI 2021 Class of Leaders. She serves on the Historic Hills CDC Board and has served on many affordable housing panels sharing her knowledge in vast areas of affordable housing development. Sharon is a native of Atlanta and has served as a C.A.S.A for Fulton County. She spends much of her time mentoring others who wish to expand their careers in affordable housing.