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.