Third Ward Real Estate Council Inaugural Fall Luncheon

2525 South Loop West,Houston TX 77054

09 November, 2021

Description

Don’t miss our Inaugural Fall Luncheon with Councilmember Tiff Thomas! Before we kick off 2022 with a schedule of events and community led investment projects we wanted to thank all of our supporters that have been with us since the beginning by inviting you to our Fall Luncheon. As the launch of our “Do the Things that Matter!” campaign, we will be joined by City of Houston Councilmember and Housing Committee chair, Tiffany D. Thomas. Aside from great good and drinks at Pappadeaux, we will be talking with the Councilmember about the state of housing in Houston, policy that we should be aware of, and how we can begin leveraging public funds/policy to our benefit. The cost of admission also serves as your annual dues to become a supporter. Our supporters receive discount sponsorships and the opportunity to invest with us. All proceeds go towards ongoing programming and seeding new community led projects. Moderator Director, Brittany Hyman Brittany Hyman is a native Houstonian with over a decade of experience engaging underserved and underrepresented communities, community stakeholders and elected officials. Her expertise in earned media as a communications strategy has garnered local and national recognition for the City of Houston. An urban planner by training, she has forged strong relationships with members of the media and public through her ability to create authentic, data-driven narratives. Most recently she was charged with the communications strategy behind the launch of the $1.3B Harvey Disaster Recovery program. She believes the stories we share are our opportunity to celebrate and affirm our existence and is excited for the opportunity to highlight the existence and vitality of Houston Southeast. Special Guest Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas, District F In 2013, Tiffany D. Thomas ran for Trustee position 7, with Alief ISD serving one term as the youngest elected official at her election. In 2019, with the encouragement of her community, she ran for Houston City Council, District F representing Alief, Westchase, Tanglewilde, Briar Meadow, Westmont, and the historic Piney Point. She is the first Black woman and under 40 to serve in this role. As Chair of Housing and Community Affairs for the city, she oversees priorities related to Housing, Veteran Affairs, Homelessness, and Solid Waste. In response to the eviction crisis in early 2020, Councilwoman Thomas, alongside Mayor Sylvester Turner, released a rent relief program in response to COVID-19. To date, the Administration has supported housing insecure Houstonians with more than $200M in rental subsidy and $28M in direct assistance to keep families housed. Of note, the rent relief program implemented locally has gained the attention of the US Treasury Department as a national model. Councilwoman Thomas remains vocal about the importance of preserving affordable housing options for all Houstonians – working families, those experiencing homelessness, and multi-family developments. Since her election, Councilwoman Thomas has been met with crisis after crisis and responded to each one with fidelity, rigor, and unparalleled commitment. In partnership with community organizations, she has provided close to 750,000 meals to families in 2020, PPE mask drives, and home deliveries. She responded to the Texas Winter Storm Uri recovery efforts by organizing 15 water distribution sites in her District while managing recovery efforts for herself and family. In addition to her professional and political leadership, Councilwoman Thomas is a lifelong learner. She is a graduate of Leadership Houston XXXI, Women’s Campaign School at Yale, American Leadership Forum XLIV (44) and the renowned Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She is a current member of the Scott-Hawkins Leadership Institute Cohort IX (9) sponsored by The Links, Incorporated and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Before entering the world of politics, Councilwoman Thomas led the nonprofit management industry for over 15 years, working for various agencies focused on education, healthcare, and basic needs. Professionally, she currently serves as Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Community Development at Prairie View A&M, the only HBCU, and institution with a graduate community development academic program in Texas. She teaches introduction to community development, community research, community politics and cultural heritage and preservation. Most importantly, she is a proud and long-time resident of District F and the public school system. Guest Dr. Kevin Granderson Dr. Kevin Granderson is the VP of Education for the Third Ward Real Estate Council and brings over 5+ years of experience in real estate investing, education and residential construction. At his core, transformational leadership is his approach to developing professional relationships strategically aligned with his core goal; to improve quality of life for residents in low socioeconomic spaces through real estate and education. He specializes in small to medium-sized development projects utilizing creative, innovative processes to foster positive results. Guest Greg Benjamin, AIA Greg is currently the Vice President of Real Estate Development for the 3rd Ward Real Estate Council. He has a strong passion for maintaining and creating community is what drives Gregory Benjamin, AIA. Greg whole heartily accepts the role of citizen architect and strives to elevate the community he serves through the practice of architecture. While a student at the University of Texas in Austin, he began to develop a skill for listening and a sensitivity for drawing consensus from multiple stakeholders began to emerge. He noticed that an immersive process brought a sense of ownership and commitment to multiple stakeholders within the course of a design. This sensitivity evolved into a strong belief that every stakeholder’s opinion has a place and that architecture should not only be criticized from within the field, but from the general populous. This belief is reinforced by the notion that architecture can be transformative and as such great design has the responsibility of being mindful and respectful of its community and end users. With this mindset, community involvement, client feedback, and team development have all been paramount in Greg’s career approach. Guest Jason Hyman, Broker Jason Hyman is a real estate professional with a passion for community and economic development. Prior to his career in real estate investment and development, Jason served as a portfolio management officer with Bank of America. In this role he was trusted to provide the insight necessary to protect and support multi million dollar investments in middle market companies ranging from oil and gas services to general industries. He also worked with the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department where he streamlined the single-family project reimbursement process by creating several systems to produce 219 single-family homes, assist 283 homebuyers with down payment assistance, and create 1100 affordable rental units. Jason is now the owner of Realinc, the only African American planning and brokerage firm in Houston, TX. There he is committed to building relationships through real estate that help transform communities. He received his master’s degree from Texas Southern University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston-Downtown. He remains active and vigilant in his community, currently serving as the president of the Greater Third Ward Super Neighborhood #67 and VP of Business Development for the Third Ward Real Estate Council. Do The Things That Matter (DT3M) creates access to opportunities in real estate via education, capacity, and responsible development.