On this episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Maggie Parker, the founder and CEO of Innovan Neighborhoods, to discuss a new, more equitable way of creating affordable housing through community development. Maggie walks us through the process, which includes putting the voices of community members at the forefront of the development conversation, empowering marginalized developers committed to equity, and using the right funding partner. We also discuss the historical and present systemic barriers that have made access to housing difficult of Black people. Maggie highlights how equitable development often takes much longer than the traditional process and introduces the importance of using “patient capital”, which are funding partners willing to allow more time before expecting a return on investment. Tune in to learn more!

Homework

1. Get caught up on past episodes of Broke-ish.
2. Get involved in your local community and see what your neighborhood is up to.

Receipts

Maggie Parker

Raised in Dallas, TX, Maggie Parker began her community development training while completing graduate work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During her studies, she committed most of her time to helping local governments and non-profit organizations leverage public and private financing for real estate development in disadvantaged communities.

In 2019, she founded Innovan Neighborhoods, embarking on a partnership with Matthews Southwest to execute her vision: to transform neighborhoods by addressing residents’ interconnected needs for physical, social, and economic stability while maintaining and celebrating a community’s unique culture.

Maggie is also a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and has studied at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Maggie is also an alumnus of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, a member of 2016-2017 Mayor’s Star Council, 2017 OFN Opportunity Fellow, and serves on the Board of the Texas Mezzanine Fund. Her personal interests include exploring Dallas, enjoying ethnic food restaurants, and attending live performing arts events.