CSH celebrated Black History Month 2024 all month long by recognizing Black housing developers who are creating history in real time!
We spotlighted various housing developers involved in CSH’s “Redesigning Access by Centering Equity" Initiative, commonly referred to as the RACE Initiative.
We encourage you to take a look at the series featured on all CSH channels and visit csh.org/race to learn more about this work focused on driving equity among communities historically shut out from capital investment.
Alexis Butler, RACE Initiative Director at CSH, introduced the series earlier in the month
Featured Spotlights:
Ericka Keller
Ericka, Keller, Chairperson/CEO at Brisa Builders Corp/ Brisa Builders Development LLC. Brisa Builders is part of a group developing Glenmore Manor Apartments in Brooklyn, NY. Glenmore Manor will be a residential unit with over 200 units, 70 of which will be permanent supportive housing units.
It is an honor for CSH to partner with industry leaders, such as Ericka, who make a significant investment in our communities that historically have faced systemic barriers that excluded them from accessing capital investment opportunities. We are thrilled to have Ericka as an ally in the affordable and supportive housing field.
“CSH’s RACE Initiative was instrumental in providing the necessary pre- development funding to get the Glenmore Manor project off to a strong and sustainable start. Pre-development funds are often precarious to obtain, therefore this initial funding laid the groundwork for us to be able to move the project at the pace necessary to remain in the pipeline despite the backlog created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ericka.
A rendering of Glenmore Manor Apartments
“We closed on construction last year and look forward to delivering 233 units of affordable housing, including 70 permanently supportive housing units, 16 AIRS units, a plethora of building amenities for the residents, in addition to a state -of -the- art entrepreneurial HUB for established and emerging businesses in the community upon which I grew up in - Brownsville, Brooklyn. Thank you CSH’s RACE Initiative for your commitment in action to make this happen!”
Learn more about Brisa Builders at https://www.brisabuilders.com
Mike Miller
Mike Miller, Founder & President at Bold Communities.
Bold Communities, in partnership with PATH Ventures, is developing PATH Villas El Cerrito I, a new construction project in San Diego that will provide supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
CSH is delighted to collaborate with trailblazers like Mike through the RACE Initiative with the common goal of prioritizing investments in communities most impacted by systemic inequalities. These communities have long grappled with systemic hurdles, barring them from opportunities and access to wealth-building activities.
After a decade of experience in real estate development with a focus on leveraging LIHTCs to advance affordable housing, Mike founded BOLD Communities to contribute to solving the state's housing crisis. We are proud to have Mike and Bold Communities as a partner!
A rendering of PATH Villas, El Cerrito I
“The CSH Race Initiative has been an incredible resource for Bold Communities,” said Mike. “In addition to hosting a range of very applicable industry-specific educational workshops and networking opportunities with key stakeholders and practitioners, the program has provided meaningful grant funding, which has been a critical catalyst for our growth as a nascent organization. I am truly grateful to the CSH team and the access they have created for us through the RACE Initiative.”
Learn more about Bold Communities at https://boldcommunities.org
Saeeda Dunston
We are proud to recognize Saeeda Dunston, CEO at Elmcor.
CSH is incredibly fortunate to partner with Elmcor, a true standout and leading community-based organization in Queens, a borough of New York City, through CSH’s RACE Initiative.
Elmcor, the oldest Black-founded and Black-led non-profit in Queens, NY, led the development of Helen M. Marshall Manor, a project in Corona, NY that will provide supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness with substance use disorder. Elmcor hosted a ribbon cutting event at Helen M. Marshall Manor for the grand opening. Watch the coverage of the event from CBS News here.
A rendering of Helen M. Marshall Manor
Credit: Monica Lopez Uran
"As a Black-led organization making its foray into the housing development space with the recent opening of our first permanent supportive/affordable housing complex, the Helen M. Marshall Manor, at Elmcor, we understand the challenges in securing much-needed funding and advocacy, as well as receiving guidance navigating a multilayered, complex process”, said Saeeda. “That’s why we value our partnership with CSH, as it shares our vision of a future where the most vulnerable among us can thrive. In 2023, we were honored to receive the CSH R.A.C.E. Initiative Award, as this recognition is a testament to this institution’s commitment to advancing Elmcor’s future development goals and broad support for Black-led housing development as a whole. Moving forward, we’re excited to build upon our collaboration, as we utilize CSH’s vast knowledge, technical assistance, and training as elements of our future development projects."
Learn more about Elmcor at https://www.elmcor.org
