Jeanette Duncan

1937 - 2025

In early August 2025, Jeanette Duncan, who was the very heartbeat of People's Self-Help Housing for nearly four decades, passed away.



Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jeanette began her long career at the age of 8, working at her father's general store. Upon graduation from high school, she moved to Europe, where she ultimately managed a successful insurance company that catered to American service members. It was there that she met her husband, Donald "Corky" Duncan.



They married in Germany in 1966 and relocated to California, which at the time was one of the handful of states that allowed interracial marriages. Their daughter, Andrea, was born in 1969 in San Luis Obispo. After working at various nonprofits and in social work, Jeanette came to People's Self Help Housing in 1977, where she became the first Executive Director. Supporting individuals and families in building their own houses and achieving their dream of home ownership, Jeanette came alongside the spirited volunteers whose shovels, on the heels of the Fair Housing Act, had broken ground on the first "self-help" houses. She subsequently recruited a core of professionals whose dedication would see the work of People's Self-Help Housing expand to serve thousands across the California Central Coast. Under her leadership, Jeanette drove the organization's ability to develop affordable and accessible multifamily housing, to which she further enriched with services and programming benefiting residents of PSHH communities – including onsite learning centers and on-staff social workers.



Jeanette always maintained that a 'People's' project shouldn't just be in a neighborhood, it should add to a neighborhood. Hence, her insistence on quality design, beautiful landscaping (most often including her signature colorful roses), and exemplary maintenance. During Jeanette's tenure, she not only knew all her employees by name, but also the names of the residents and their families she was serving. She was a fixture at city council and county boards of supervisors' meetings throughout the organization's footprint and was a strong advocate for affordable housing well beyond the reach of People's Self-Help Housing. Whether in Sacramento or in the hallowed halls of D.C., Jeanette was a sought-after expert in the field of affordable housing and a respected voice for those seeking a decent and safe place to live.



In 1991, she was awarded "Woman of the Year" by the San Luis Obispo County Commission, and after more than 40 years on the Central Coast, she and Corky retired to suburban New York to be closer to family. Remaining on several housing boards, she spent her days gardening–she had an amazing green thumb, spending time with family and new friends, and enjoying a Maker's Mark on ice.



She is survived by Andrea Duncan-Mao (Jeff Mao) and grandchildren Trevor and Estelle. She was predeceased by Corky, who passed the same day, August 4th, in 2021, and was laid to rest in early August at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.



Long after leaving full-time work, Jeanette continued to volunteer and advocate for affordable housing, benefiting numerous boards nationally and philanthropically. Her fearlessness, determination, and deep sense of justice will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved her. Jeanette Duncan was an original. She was a force of nature, a force for much-needed change, and a force for good. In her memory, please consider donating to People's Self-Help Housing, New York Public Radio, Southern Poverty Law Center, or Doctors Without Borders.