FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 17, 2022 • BLACK HISTORY MONTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 23 black history month
South Jamaica brothers break down barriers in
competitive New York City real estate industry
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Two brothers from south Jamaica, who
graduated from an inaugural cohort of
a minority-owned business enterprise
(MBE) developer incubator program, are
breaking barriers in the New York City
real estate industry with their familyowned
development.
Randall and Roland Powell, who cofounded
the Queens development fi rm
Infi nite Horizons, are graduates of the
LISC Developers of Color Training program
that has provided them with the
tools and resources to continue to grow
their business.
Aft er working in the real estate industry
for over three decades in various
capacities, Roland, along with his brother
Randall, who has worked for developers
and contractors, established Infi nite
Horizons LLC in December 2007.
Th e Powells had a vision of developing
aff ordable housing in their community
of south Jamaica and across the city.
Th ey acquire and redevelop underutilized
land and blighted properties into safe
aff ordable housing.
“Who else better to serve the community
of color than people of color? I’m
right here in the neighborhood within a
10-minute walking distance from our
next project,” Roland said. “I’ve been
living in the neighborhood for 30
years and have seen how the real
estate crash has aff ected my neighbors,
who have lost their homes. I
understand what it takes to bring
the neighborhood back together,
or to rebuild the neighborhood.”
Th e LISC Developers Color of
Training program came at the
right time, as they struggled to
get their organization to a platform
where they could do business and
large-scale projects, Randall said.
“Th is program coming along has
put us in front of lenders and investors
and that’s what we needed since
day one when we got into the business,”
Randall said. “We have been
able to prove that we have the
capacity, understanding and support,
not only of LISC but also
the city Housing Preservation
Department and other agencies
and organizations to make this
path forward.”
The Local Initiatives Support
Corporation (LISC) is one of the United
State’s largest community development
fi nance institutions (CDFI). Since its
inception in 1979, LISC has been supporting
projects and programs to revitalize
communities and bring greater economic
opportunities to residents.
Valerie White, who is the executive
director of LISC NY, launched the
Developers of Color Training program in
November 2021 to help MBE developers
expand their capacity and project access
while becoming more competitive as the
city’s housing project pipeline grows and
more market opportunities arise.
Th e program helps developers of color
enhance their networks, gain access to
capital and build their capacity to expand
their existing portfolio of business and
contracts. Th e curriculum is developed in
partnership with Columbia University and
Queens-based R.F. Wilkins Consultants.
“We all know that looking at contractual
opportunities, developers of color are
not able to have the same opportunities
as non-minority developers,” White said.
“We wanted to come up with a program
that would be of assistance.”
According to White, there’s cultural
integrity that comes with developers who
look like the community for whom
they’re building and understanding those
complexities.
“If we are looking to close the racial
wealth gap, then equitable opportunities
need to be made to developers of color,
and the real estate industry is that economic
engine that can help close that racial
wealth gap,” White said. “You’re bringing
two things together, bringing a cultural
integrity and sensitivity into rebuilding
parts of the city, while providing an opportunity
for owners of color to gain wealth by
having access to contractors.”
Upon completion of the program, the
Powells have learned how to create marketing
materials to present their business
to potential investors, an understanding
of construction, learning how to be more
clear in joint-venture partnerships, their
stake and role within a project and how to
expand into new opportunities.
Th e Powells say they’re appreciative of
LISC NY and the Developers of Color
Training program for recognizing the
w o r k they’re trying to do in the
community.
“We understand
that it’s a path, but
when you have
partners that will be on that path and can
help you through the process, it doesn’t
seem as burdensome and you can see the
light at the end of the tunnel,” Randall said.
Th e Powell’s have been awarded a site in
the Melrose section of the Bronx, where
they will construct a building with community
and retail space. Th ey’re also planning
to transform a cluster of vacant lots
in their neighborhood of south Jamaica.
As the Powells move their project forward,
they have been asked to mentor
high school and college students who are
interested in learning more about the real
estate development industry.
“We hope that our story and what we’ve
done encourages people in the community
and even outside of the community
to know that if you hold the line and
pursue your dreams and try to do good
work, people will recognize you for it,”
Randall said. “Th ere’s always a stigma that
as Black or Latin community, we always
have outsiders coming in and helping us,
but there’s so much talent within our own
ranks and our community. Sometimes
we have to stand back and take a look
— that’s where the diversity, equity and
inclusion really comes in.”
“Who else better to serve
the community of color
than people of color?
I’m right here in the
neighborhood within
a 10-minute walking
distance from
our next project.
I’ve been living in
the neighborhood
for 30 years and
have seen how the
real estate crash has
aff ected my neighbors,
who have lost their
homes. I understand
what it takes to bring
the neighborhood back
together, or to rebuild
the neighborhood.”
— Roland Powell
Photo courtesy of the Powells
Brothers Randall and Roland Powell, of south Jamaica, who co-founded the fi rm Infi nite Horizons,
are graduates of the LISC Developer’s of Color Training program that has provided them with the
tools and resources to continue to grow their business in the real estate development industry.
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