Celebrating Leonard Adams, Jr.

During Black History Month, we will highlight several unheralded individuals who have or continue to dedicate their lives to community service and racial equity. Noteworthy among each of these persons is their affiliation with Chrysalis Lab as a current or former client. 

Leonard L. Adams, Jr., is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quest Community Development Corporation in Atlanta, GA. He has extensive experience developing affordable and supportive housing communities in Atlanta’s challenged neighborhoods. For 35 years, Mr. Adams has been a social entrepreneur and consultant. He is also the owner and development consultant of Quest Ventures, LLC. 

Adams founded Quest in 2001 to provide low-income housing in Atlanta’s Westside. For nearly 25 years, Quest has developed several affordable housing communities totaling over 500 units and $100 million in assets. Quest is currently building three new developments to house people on the lowest rung of the economic ladder. These individuals and families are formerly homeless with substance abuse and/or mental illness, the disabled, and veterans. Quest also provides them with full-time supportive services such as counseling and job readiness.

A U.S. veteran, Adams moved to Atlanta in 1994 to work for his family business. He soon realized the tremendous lack of community resources, especially housing, for residents with addictive diseases and sought to address the problem. He envisioned Quest and it has created a variety of residential options — from short-term housing (365 days or less) to permanent housing for formerly homeless individuals. Today, the Westside is becoming heavily gentrified; nonetheless, the need for affordable housing remains high, and Quest seeks to ensure legacy residents can remain in the communities where they were born and raised. 

Quest not only constructs affordable housing but also services Westside residents through a centralized community service hub. Quest completed the commercial development of the 30,000-square foot Quest Westside Impact Center — an $8.9 million development that opened during COVID, and it houses a variety of nonprofits, shared workspace, banking services, and a Family Dollar store. Several other affordable housing projects are in the planning stages, and Quest is currently seeking financing through public and private sources to develop them.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), also a Chrysalis Lab client, recently purchased 2.5 acres on Atlanta’s Westside for the future home of SPLC’s Atlanta office. This campus will provide space to support Westside residents via youth and adult educational programs, affordable commercial spaces for local entrepreneurs, and free event space. Adams will serve as the developer of SPLC’s Atlanta office and oversee its construction. For more information: https://www.splcenter.org/resources/stories/westside-atlanta-entrepreneur-heads-splc-project-office/