Kent Aden, a licensed architect, developer and the visionary behind many of San Diego’s most honored master-planned communities, will be inducted into the California Homebuilding Foundation’s (CHF) Hall of Fame during a virtual gala 5-6 p.m., June 24.
Aden, the president of HomeFed Communities, is responsible for managing design, development and marketing for multiple villages, totaling 2,800 acres, in Chula Vista’s Otay Ranch; the 2,600-acre Fanita Ranch sustainable community in Santee, and the 700-acre SweetBay community in Panama City, Florida. He recently oversaw the completion of the 1,980-acre San Elijo Hills community in San Marcos.
Previously, Aden was the executive vice president of The Otay Ranch Company, responsible for implementing the first phases of the 23,000-acre Otay Ranch, which includes an 11,375-acre nature preserve. During his tenure, Otay Ranch was praised as a national model of smart growth and was consistently the top-selling community in the region.
He began his real estate development career at EastLake Development Company, where he rose to vice president of Community Development and was instrumental in the creation of the 3,200-acre EastLake, a model community in the 1980s.
Aden has been a passionate advocate for the homebuilding industry and walkable, pedestrian-centric communities throughout his career. He has been active in the San Diego Building Industry Association for 37 years and served as president in 2003. The chair of the 2008 Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), Aden was inducted into the San Diego Building Industry Hall of Fame in 2018. For 18 years he was a director of Housing Opportunities Inc., which developed affordable housing in San Diego County.
Aden was the co-chair of the 2009 Miracle Maker’s Gala for Rady Children’s Hospital and received the 2008 Spirit of Life® Award from the City of Hope’s San Diego Construction Industries Alliance.
He has an MBA degree from California State University, Fullerton, and a BA degree in architecture from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Aden lives on a ranch in the rural community of Julian with his wife, Toni, where they operate Lonestar Ranch Animal Rescue.
In addition to Aden, four other Californians are being inducted into the CHF Hall of Fame, including Steve Kalmbach, president of the PulteGroup, Inc.’s Northern California Division; Steven Kellenberg, senior vice president at the Kellenberg Studio in Laguna Beach; William R. Parker, president of the Parker Development Company of El Dorado Hills; and Jeffrey Roos, regional president (West Region) of Lennar Corporation in Orange County.
The Hall of Fame gala will celebrate the lifetime achievements of the five industry leaders with a virtual formal induction ceremony and video presentation. Tickets are $50 for individuals. To register or learn about sponsorship opportunities, click here or visit www.mychf.org.
