Fifteen impact-oriented developers selected to participate in inaugural cohort

(left to right - first row): 

Jasmond Anderson, JASZ Studio; Jay Taylor, Juxta Developments; Brandon Ward, Bidgigz LLC; Ferrell Fellows, Kingdom Legacy Development Company; Jason Brown, Dallas City Homes; Maggie Parker, Innovan Neighborhoods; Olga Lopez, CIMA Holding Group; Patrice Jefferson, SDMC Investments, LLC; Simeon Henderson, Innovan Neighborhoods

 

(left to right - second row/stairs):

Scottie  Smith, II, Shekinah Legacy Holdings; Annie Evans, SouthFair Community Development Corporation; Queenetra Andrews, Andrews Development & Holdings LLC; James Armstrong, III, Builders of Hope Development Corporation; Valerie Ballard, Operation Tiny House; Demont Campbell, Urban Nest Development; Jordan D'Silva, Web City Properties; Marc Henderson, Exodus Development Group

Innovan Neighborhoods is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Community Developers Roundtable (CDR). Launched by Maggie Parker of Innovan Neighborhoods, the CDR addresses gaps in the community development ecosystem by offering a long-term, developer-led structure with ongoing feedback and accountability to community-oriented development projects. Fifteen community-oriented real estate developers were selected to participate in the program, which includes a projected $1 million dedicated pre-development fund, staff capacity stipends, and financial resources for technical assistance, including professional coaching and project feasibility studies. The program is in collaboration with BCL of Texas with funding support from JP Morgan Chase. Other funders include Tolleson Wealth Management, Bank of Texas, Communities Foundation of Texas, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Charles Schwab, Muse Family Foundation, the State Fair of Texas, and Comerica Bank. 

 

The CDR will serve as a collective learning, networking, and funding opportunity for existing diverse nonprofit and for-profit community-oriented real estate developers. The members of the inaugural cohort are:


  • Jasmond Anderson, JASZ Studio
  • Queenetra Andrews, Andrews Development & Holdings LLC
  • James Armstrong, III, Builders of Hope Development Corporation
  • Valerie Ballard, Operation Tiny House
  • Jason Brown, Dallas City Homes
  • Demont Campbell, Urban Nest Development
  • Jordan D'Silva, Web City Properties
  • Annie Evans, SouthFair Community Development Corporation
  • Ferrell Fellows, Kingdom Legacy Development Company
  • Marc Henderson, Exodus Development Group
  • Patrice Jefferson, SDMC Investments, LLC
  • Olga Lopez, CIMA Holding Group
  • Scottie Smith, II, Shekinah Legacy Holdings
  • Jay Taylor, Juxta Developments
  • Brandon Ward, Bidgigz LLC


Combined, the fifteen participants have constructed or rehabbed over 430 single-family units, completed 24 small/mid-size multifamily projects, and 25 commercial retail projects. The participants have over 500 single-family units, 230 multifamily units, and nine commercial real estate projects in the collective pipeline. Dallas continues to see an increased need for diverse developers to lead revitalization throughout the city. “We can learn different ways of thinking that will open new doors and possibilities. We want to have equal opportunities to capital, contracts, and build generational wealth while solving for and improving community success,” said Olga Lopez, CDR participant and CEO/Founder of CIMA Holding Group, LLC.


The initial session of the CDR was held on Thursday, November 3, 2022, and hosted at the offices of The Beck Group in downtown Dallas. Participants heard from Printice Gary, founding partner and CEO of Carleton Residential Properties, Jeff Forbes of The Beck Group, and industry experts Steve Goldin and Jay Haigler. “Being included in this group of amazing developers and real estate professionals will not only help me scale and build capacity as a developer but also help me expand my reach and impact in the South Dallas Community that I serve,” said Scottie Smith, II, CDR participant and CEO of Shekinah Legacy Holdings.


The CDR will meet monthly through June 2023 for eight sessions and includes two additional networking events.

From Intimidation to Insight: Financial Fundamentals for Community Developers

November 28, 2025
Session 2 was the first session of the CDR's applicable content. While the first session focused on introductions and expectations, Session 2 delivered meaningful guidance and information from subject-matter experts. Knowing that a solid financial structure is the starting point for any credible development project, the CDR team intentionally kicked off the first curriculum-focused session with these fundamentals that every emerging developer must understand. The CDR's purpose is to give participants access to information, clarity, and expertise that are often difficult to obtain, and this session delivered precisely that. Insights from a Fellow Developer and Bank Leaders The day began with a conversation led by Will Northern of Crescendo Development. He shared his path into the industry and discussed the early decisions and relationships that helped him gain footing. Participants connected with the honesty of his story and appreciated hearing the practical steps that helped someone once in their position begin building real projects.  The energy shifted as the group moved into lender conversations with bank leaders speaking plainly about how they evaluate new developers, what they look for in early meetings, and how they measure risk. The insight was direct, grounded, and immediately practical. One participant captured the sentiment well, saying, "Listening to the lenders and the tax and accounting information was very helpful. It made the financial side of development feel much more approachable."

Building Momentum: CDR Fort Worth Kicks Off Its First Session at Bennett Partners

November 4, 2025
The first session of the Community Developers Roundtable (CDR) Fort Worth launched with great energy and excitement. Hosted at Bennett Partners, one of Fort Worth’s leading architecture firms, the event brought together an incredible group of emerging developers, local partners, and community advocates who are passionate about shaping stronger and more inclusive neighborhoods. Participants began the morning with breakfast and networking before diving into a full agenda that blended learning, discussion, and inspiration. Setting the Vision The morning opened with introductions and a conversation about the purpose and vision of the CDR program. CDR Fort Worth is a nine-month professional development program designed to equip emerging community developers with practical knowledge, mentorship, and resources to move their real estate projects forward. Led by Innovan Neighborhoods, the program focuses on building long-term capacity within Fort Worth’s development ecosystem. Participants also learned what to expect from upcoming monthly sessions, each designed to combine expert insights with peer exchange and hands-on learning.

Affordable housing networking program connects Fort Worth’s developers

By Asheya Warren • October 22, 2025
A new networking program aims to connect Fort Worth’s nonprofit and for-profit real estate developers with financial capital to build more affordable housing units. The Community Developers Roundtable, launched in Dallas in 2022, provides developers with access to capital, peer learning and strategic support. Organizers of Fort Worth’s roundtable hope to replicate the success it had in Dallas, which resulted in nearly $125 million in development activities. That included 39 housing units built and more than $1.7 million in predevelopment and construction loans provided by financial partner BCL of Texas. Organizers said they want to increase affordable housing and community-based amenities to revitalize neighborhoods through real estate projects. The nine-month program launched with a public presentation at Texas Wesleyan University on Aug. 28, Maggie Parker, founder of Innovan Neighborhoods and the Community Developers Roundtable program, said the two-year Dallas pilot program equipped about two dozen local developers with resources, networks and capital to drive lasting impact. “The Fort Worth expansion is about championing and empowering developers who understand the context of their neighborhoods, making them best positioned to build, revitalize and reinvigorate the places they call home, which contributes to the economic vitality of Fort Worth,” Parker said. 
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