On Thursday, August 11th, Omicelo Cares brought together past and present graduates from each of their five landmark programs, all of which contribute to their mission to co-power existing community members in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods to own financial assets, grow their businesses, and lift their incomes.
Neighborhood Allies is proud to be a long-time and ongoing partner of Omicelo Cares. In early 2017, we collaborated to launch the first ever Real Estate Co-Powerment Series with the goal of demystifying the real estate process and bringing to light the productive role community members and organizations play in real estate and economic development in their own neighborhoods.
Since then, over 225 individuals have graduated from 12 cohorts. Those cohorts have been made up of individuals interested in both personal and commercial real estate investment, as well as those looking simply to be more involved in their own community’s development. Additionally, these 12 cohorts have seen over 55 investment properties purchased by participants and more than 155 real estate transactions that have taken place with participant interaction. 44% of those surveyed also said that their income increased at least $10k within a year of taking the series! Learn more about the Real Estate Co-Powerment Series impact or apply for the next cohort.
The Real Estate Co-Powerment Series isn’t just great for individuals; it’s directly impacting the way that neighborhood development happens. Graduate and Lady Carpenter Tenika Chavis puts it into context:
“It opened my eyes,” Chavis expressed. “I was part of the problem and that bothered me, learning that the median income in the area is $45,000 and hasn’t changed in almost 25 years but the prices of real estate have accelerated.”
Excerpt from Omicelo Cares website
According to this blog on the Omicelo Cares website, Tenika “worked in property and project management and as an advisor for other real estate investors. Prior to her education with Omicelo Cares, Chavis, like most real estate professionals, was taught to buy cheap, negotiate low, and do as few repairs as possible to create the largest market value and purchase price gap possible.” But the series made her rethink this process and instead work to be part of the solution.
Omicelo’s docket of programs works to address everything from real estate development and how to be a responsible landlord, to providing deep business development support and community-focused stock market and crypto-currency education. Taylor Ford, CEO of ITs 4 Me and Taylor Made Media, spoke at the event about her experience in their 7 Pillars of Sustainable Business program. Read more about its impact on her businesses here.
So many graduates of Omicelo Cares’ programs often become partners of Neighborhood Allies. For example, Taylor Ford’s company, ITs 4 Me, has been providing digital media services to local small businesses as a technical assistance provider through our Get Online and Grow Online program! Additionally, two recent Co-Powerment graduates are also currently receiving services through our Centralized Real Estate Accelerator.
We are honored to work with Omicelo Cares and look forward to what the future brings for this partnership!
About the Real Estate Co-Powerment Series
The Real Estate Co-Powerment Series is an education platform co-created by Neighborhood Allies and Omicelo Cares designed to demystify the real estate development process, explain its associated terminology and bring to light the productive role community members and organizations play in real estate and economic development in their own neighborhoods. An overarching goal of the series is to shrink the technical proficiency gap that exists between real estate developers and community leaders that are involved in local development projects. We hope to create long-term, working relationships between private developers, real estate experts, community based organizations, business owners and active community members so that residents can be involved in the development happening in their communities.
