Markus Crewe is certainly an engaging storyteller. Markus is back in the spotlight. Markus knew he wanted to be a lawyer from the start. To help pay for his college education, he worked part-time as a truck driver for Habitat for Humanity. As Markus drove his regular truck routes, he couldn’t help but see a gap that needed to be filled. Witnessing the great poverty and shattered ambitions, particularly among minority communities, he felt compelled to act.

As a result, Markus switched his emphasis away from the courtroom and toward the streets of Prince William County in Manassas, Virginia. He had no idea what to expect on this excursion. Markus progressed from part-time truck driver to community engagement coordinator, executive director, and president/CEO of the business. In 2022, I had my first interview with Markus. Markus has proved his capacity to take the Habitat for Humanity Prince William County to new heights in a relatively short amount of time. I was excited about his recent appointment to President and CEO and anxious to learn about his vital contributions to the company’s growth. Markus has been an inspiration to me as I’ve watched him advance in the corporate world. It was a pleasure to speak with Markus and learn about his inspirational road to success.

“I was brought into this role back in late 2021 when the former Executive Director abruptly decided to retire after 20 years. I was voted on by my board of directors to take on the role, and what I didn’t expect was for my board to think that I was going to fail! In other words, I was voted into this role as a placeholder where my previous board was looking for me to fail and have our nonprofit merge with a neighboring Habitat in Fredericksburg, VA, or Loudoun, VA. This was back in the COVID era, when sales were down, morale in the organization was down, and debts were high. We were getting ready to close our doors with over 20 staff members losing their jobs; however, with a game plan of restructuring our assets, relaunching our brand, and doing work in the community, I was able to reroute the ship at Habitat PWC, where we went from a $700k-a-year organization to an $1.4 million organization within a year and a half. I thank God that I don’t fold under pressure, and the pressure I was under created a diamond in this organization and a stronger leader within me! This accomplishment provided us with the distinguished award of being the Best of Prince William County’s Rehab Store of the Year,” stated Markus.

As President and CEO, his goal is to make Prince William County Manassas an appealing and affordable living place for low-income families. This position entails growing Habitats’ reach to provide affordable housing solutions in PWC, the City of Manassas, and Manassas Park. The responsibilities include increased state-level advocacy to support laws aimed at allocating monies in the state budget to develop affordable housing throughout Virginia. The legislation are referred to be homeownership programs for low-wage workers.

“The company has grown substantially, and we are looking to expand our service area for affordable housing out in Loudoun County, VA. The vision is to expand affordable housing options for essential workers and first responders in Loudoun County and to create a land trust that will provide additional housing solutions. Also, by expanding Restore locations out in Haymarket, VA, the eastern portion of Prince William County, and the southern portion of Loudoun County, VA, Expanding in these areas is keen to our operation because it provides access to our inventory for DYI’ers who are not able to travel to our current location in Manassas, VA, and will also provide additional sources of revenue to our Critical Home Repair and Homeownership Programs,” stated Markus.

Markus discusses the importance of prioritizing important workers and first responders for affordable housing in Prince William County.

“It’s important for our essential workers and first responders to have first bids on affordable housing in Prince William County because they can’t afford to live where they work. It doesn’t make sense that our teachers, police officers, nurses, and firefighters have to commute over an hour away because they can’t afford a home where they work,” said Markus.

Markus explains his current role and his long-term goals in this position. He also emphasizes the differences between his current position and his past jobs in the business.

“I’m the person who not only wants to lead an organization but has also become a public servant looking to provide sensible solutions for affordable housing in the Northern Virginia area. What’s different for me now compared to other positions in the organization is the responsibility of being a positive example of what a professional black man in a leadership role can be without forgetting his grassroots and culture.

Being the first black president of Virginia Habitat has been a humbling experience where the community looks to me not only as a leader but as a symbol of pride knowing that they too can be the president of a company without compromising his integrity or their connection to neighborhoods! What’s also different is that I’ve learned to become a voice for families who may not have a seat at the table with local and state leaders,” stated Markus. 

Markus Crewe hopes to increase Habitat for Humanity’s effect by extending affordable housing alternatives in Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park in partnership with the Prince William County Government. He hopes to increase awareness of the organization’s objectives by enlisting the help of local companies through community engagement. In addition, he intends to enter politics.