Building Equitable and Inclusive Communities with Ernst Valery
Our first guest is Ernst Valery, the president of EVI, a private, minority-owned real estate investment firm he established in the US. He has successfully invested in and developed affordable and market rate housing developments in Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, California, and New York.
He is also active in social entrepreneurship and volunteer work, as well as efforts at incubating businesses around the world that help alleviate poverty and increase people’s and communities’ earning potential.
In this episode, Ernst defines what it means to build inclusive communities and describes his company’s platform of ‘development without displacement.’ Find out why he thinks addressing the culture of inequality helps with innovation. He also talks about how his background in architecture, urban planning and policy have influenced his approach to property development.
Ernst talks about the Aequo Fund, which will give access to capital to women and minorities who would like to get into real estate. The first of its kind, the fund is an explicit commitment to level the playing field.
*Please note that this podcast was recorded in November 2020 – before the US presidential elections and months after Black Lives Matter protests around the world and the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
