Akash Kalia studied business with a focus on Entrepreneurship at the University of Oregon before returning home to save his family business. While still in high school and in college, Akash started a number of small businesses in the technology sector.
After college, Akash bought and overhauled his family’s hotel, nearly doubling the profits within a year while paying each employee a living wage.
Akash saw the innovative value of leveraging existing housing vouchers to convert his Palms Inn into permanent supportive housing.
Akash was very hands-on in the conversion, particularly with the collaborative efforts to build a sustainable community, and in fostering positive respectful relationships between the residents and staff during the transition.
