Here's how a new initiative seeks to diversify Greenville real estate, development industries

Royale Bonds, Greenville News
Updated ·3 min read

Melanie Brown, Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Urban Land Institute South Carolina, saw a need for diversity in the land use industry, especially in the city of Greenville.

She decided to do something about it by bringing the Real Estate Diversity Initiative (REDI) program to the Upstate.

"What this program offers Greenville is the opportunity for Greenville to tap into the untapped talent that exists throughout our communities," said Brown, who leads the REDI program.

The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Real Estate Diversity Initiative (REDI) program is designed as an intensive cohort learning experience for professionals of color working in real estate and land use industries. It helps emerging developers expand their skills and knowledge to create a successful real estate development. The program helps bring diversity into the field.

Participants of the Urban Land Institute's Real Estate Diversity Initiative program pictured with Mayor Knox White at the REDI program's graduation March 28
Participants of the Urban Land Institute's Real Estate Diversity Initiative program pictured with Mayor Knox White at the REDI program's graduation March 28

CommunityWorks and the Greenville Housing Fund, two local nonprofits, sponsored the first ULI REDI program in South Carolina that began on Jan. 10. The 19-participant cohort graduated on March 28.

The program's 12-week curriculum covered topics like site planning, market analysis and project financing. The case study completed by the participants is a planned development for a mixed-use, mixed-income, multifamily and commercial project in the Unity Park area of Greenville.

The Greenville Housing Fund is the case study sponsor for the planned development on 1.91 acres located on the corner of Oscar and Meadow Street in Greenville, according to Brown. The winning group of participants gets to pitch their idea for the use of that land.

Many team members focused on affordability in their projects. It's important as a community to not only receive affordable products but take lead and ownership in that space as well, Brown said.

"We think it's important for people of color to be represented in the real estate development field, especially when it comes to investing in our very own communities that are experiencing a lot of heavy displacement," Brown said.

The displacement of people of color calls for diversity in the field.

Participants of the Urban Land Institute's Real Estate Diversity Initiative program pictured at the REDI program's graduation March 28
Participants of the Urban Land Institute's Real Estate Diversity Initiative program pictured at the REDI program's graduation March 28

"With diversity, exposure is important," said REDI program participant Ashana Taylor. "This program put words to action."

Taylor also said young black professionals are leaving Greenville and programs like these can help encourage them to stay.

"This can be another piece that says we have room here, we have space here in the real estate development, architecture, design space," Taylor said. "There are people willing to give you a chance so you don't have to go to these bigger cities, but continue to make Greenville great."

Ruby Bennett, another program participant, owns land and saw the REDI program as an opportunity to learn how to potentially develop the land and create diversity in the real estate development space.

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"The very importance of it is because we, as people of color, need to also continue to build on generational wealth, and that's something we've been missing from this field," Bennett said. "We need to be able to put our ideas and designs and things together and become part of this community."

Many of the programs' participants came from different occupational backgrounds including healthcare, entrepreneurship and real estate, but still jumped at the opportunity to get involved.

"I have always been interested in and passionate about real estate development and just really wanted to make the right connections and learn the process correctly," said program participant Odeidra Williams.

REDI program participant Adrick Ceasar said he got into the program in hopes of helping with affordable housing.

"I think everyone recognizes the crisis that we have, lack of affordable housing and I wanted to learn the process in hopes of helping be part of the solution to those problems," Ceasar said.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville real estate initiative aims to diversify city, land use