REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION

OF DEVELOPERS

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Empowering Minority Developers: A Lifecycle Approach to Increasing Market Share and Building a Strong Pipeline

Create, Cultivate, Connect and Support Qualified Minority Developers

Born out of the Capital Impact Partners Equitable Development Initiative, we have taken steps to create an organization to carry forward the spirit of the CIP EDI and empower minority developers in Detroit to ensure the developer base more accurately reflects the city's diversity and delivers projects that truly serve its diverse population.

Learn more about the different segments and entities within our organization.

Explore the links in the table below to learn more about specific subjects

Our Mission

Our mission is to cultivate, connect and advocate for experienced and aspiring black real estate developers.

Our intent is to increase market share for developers of color, establish a legacy pipeline, and to leverage the power of our allies and the development community's collective resources to create a more coordinated and equitable development ecosystem for our community.

What We Provide

We aim to serve Detroit’s black development community through:

Equity Advocacy
Increased access to fair capital
Networking & information sharing
Technical Assistance

Our Executive Committee

Comprised of Detroit based high level developers, READ’s Executive Committee is charged with exemplifying and forwarding our mission. Using their influence in the marketplace, they ensure black and brown developer voices are heard at all levels of government, from the Mayor’s office, to City Council, all the way to our legislature in Lansing.

Our Developer Leadership Council

READ’s Developer Leadership Council members are our mission in action. Skilled professionals in the development industry, they organize, manage, and emcee our monthly meetings, serve on subcommittees with our Executive Committee, as well as advocate for the mission and vision of READ.

Board Leadership

Empowering Growth Through Decisive Leadership

David Alade

President

David is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Century Partners, where he combines commitment to community, legacy, and purpose with a dedication to building a culture of sustainable excellence.

Chase Cantrell

Vice President

Chase is the founder of Building Community Value, a non-profit, community-based corporation dedicated to implementing and facilitating real estate development projects in underserved neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

Jason Jones

Secretary

Jason creates a vision for excellence for all stakeholders in the real estate development process . He has developed over $99MM of real estate across the United States including Michigan, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Akunna Olumba

Treasurer

Akunna is an expert in business law and taxation. She has experience as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University College of Law. Professor Olumba additionally founded a business development firm and a federal tax legal practice.

Roderick Hardamon

Advisory

Roderick is the CEO and Chief Strategist of URGE Imprint, and URGE Development Group, a real estate development firm focused on systemic change in urban communities through creative place keeping and placemaking.

Sonya Mays

Advisory

Sonya helped lead Detroit out of bankruptcy and now has her sights set on propelling her hometown forward. Her mission: real estate development that addresses urgent community needs.

Christopher Jackson

Advisory

Christopher is a Partner of Queen Lillian, a Detroit headquartered development firm founded in 2008 with a specific emphasis on developing institutional-grade commercial real estate within the City of Detroit.

Derric Scott

Advisory

Derric is CEO of J29:7 Planning & Development Corporation. As former CEO of East Jefferson Development Corporation he oversaw a 30 year, $680+ Million Master Development Plan on Detroit’s East Side with more than $68M+ in investment completed through the first 4 years.

Sauda Ahmad-Green

Advisory

Sauda Ahmad-Green calls herself a “developer by chance,” but her real estate journey has deep roots in the Detroit neighborhood where she grew up. In 2006, a year after graduating law school, she purchased the property using only her savings for what would become her first major development project, six townhomes dubbed Merrill Place I, on Merrill Street, between Seward Avenue and Virginia Park Street.

READ Leadership

David Alade

President

David is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Century Partners, where he combines commitment to community, legacy, and purpose with a dedication to building a culture of sustainable excellence.

Chase Cantrell

Vice President

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

Jason Jones

Secretary

Jason creates a vision for excellence for all stakeholders in the real estate development process . He has developed over $99MM of real estate across the United States including Michigan, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Akunna Olumba

Treasurer

Akunna is an expert in business law and taxation. She has experience as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University College of Law. Professor Olumba additionally founded a business development firm and a federal tax legal practice.

Roderick Hardamon

Advisory

Roderick is the CEO and Chief Strategist of URGE Imprint, and URGE Development Group, a real estate development firm focused on systemic change in urban communities through creative place keeping and placemaking.

Sonya Mays

Advisory

Sonya helped lead Detroit out of bankruptcy and now has her sights set on propelling her hometown forward. Her mission: real estate development that addresses urgent community needs.

Christopher Jackson

Advisory

Christopher is a Partner of Queen Lillian, a Detroit headquartered development firm founded in 2008 with a specific emphasis on developing institutional-grade commercial real estate within the City of Detroit.

Derric Scott

Advisory

Derric is CEO of J29:7 Planning & Development Corporation. As former CEO of East Jefferson Development Corporation he oversaw a 30 year, $680+ Million Master Development Plan on Detroit’s East Side with more than $68M+ in investment completed through the first 4 years.

Sauda Ahmad-Green

Advisory

Sauda Ahmad-Green calls herself a “developer by chance,” but her real estate journey has deep roots in the Detroit neighborhood where she grew up. In 2006, a year after graduating law school, she purchased the property using only her savings for what would become her first major development project, six townhomes dubbed Merrill Place I, on Merrill Street, between Seward Avenue and Virginia Park Street.

Executive Committee

Sonya Mays

President

Sonya is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Develop Detroit, where she leads mission-driven housing development centered on affordability, neighborhood stabilization, and equitable urban growth.

David Alade

Executive Director

David is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Century Partners, where he combines commitment to community, legacy, and purpose with a dedication to building a culture of sustainable excellence.

Chase Cantrell

Vice President

Chase is the Founder and Executive Director of Building Community Value, where he is committed to strengthening equitable development by expanding access, capacity, and opportunity for community-centered real estate projects.

Jason Jones

Secretary

Jason is the Principal of Tekton Development and a co-founder of READ, where he is dedicated to delivering thoughtful, long-term real estate investments that promote neighborhood stability and inclusive growth.

Akunna Olumba

Treasurer

Akunna is an expert in business law and taxation. She has experience as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University College of Law. Professor Olumba additionally founded a business development firm and a federal tax legal practice.

Roderick Hardamon

Advisory

Roderick is the CEO and Chief Strategist of URGE Imprint, and URGE Development Group, a real estate development firm focused on systemic change in urban communities through creative place keeping and placemaking.

Christopher Jackson

Advisory

Christopher is a Partner of Queen Lillian, a Detroit headquartered development firm founded in 2008 with a specific emphasis on developing institutional-grade commercial real estate within the City of Detroit.

Derric Scott

Advisory

Derric is CEO of J29:7 Planning & Development Corporation. As former CEO of East Jefferson Development Corporation he oversaw a 30 year, $680+ Million Master Development Plan on Detroit’s East Side with more than $68M+ in investment completed through the first 4 years.

Sauda Ahmad-Green

Advisory

Sauda Ahmad-Green calls herself a “developer by chance,” but her real estate journey has deep roots in the Detroit neighborhood where she grew up. In 2006, a year after graduating law school, she purchased the property using only her savings for what would become her first major development project, six townhomes dubbed Merrill Place I, on Merrill Street, between Seward Avenue and Virginia Park Street.

Developers Leadership Council

Anthony Askew

Anthony Askew is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of City on the Rise Development, where he leads real estate development efforts focused on community-driven commercial and residential projects.

Brittany McGee

Brittany McGee is the Founder and Owner of Stream Real Estate, where she leads strategic real estate acquisitions and development focused on urban core markets.

Candus Rucker

Candus Rucker is a real estate professional serving the Detroit metro area and the Founder of Rucker Property Management Group, where she represents buyers, sellers, and investors across the residential market.

CeCe Thomas

Cynthia is a Detroit-based Residential Sales and Leasing Agent with PREP Realty, where she represents buyers and sellers with a client-first approach grounded in excellence and deep ties to the city.

Daisha Martin

Daisha Martin is the Manager of Technical Assistance at Building Community Value, where she supports mixed-use real estate training and neighborhood development projects across Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.

Darius Barrett

Darius Barrett is the Senior Director of Investment and Advisory at EBIARA, where he drives data-driven investment strategy, organizational growth, and scalable impact through disciplined execution and team leadership.

Darryl Clements

Darryl Clements is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of InterCapital Funding Inc., where he provides flexible private lending solutions that help real estate investors close residential and commercial deals efficiently.

Joslyn Jackson

Joslyn is the Founder of Jackson Media LLC and a licensed real estate professional, where she combines strategic storytelling, developer engagement, and community-centered marketing to support impactful real estate development.

Matthew Boyd

Matthew Boyd is a real estate development professional at Kipling Development and the Founder of Boyd Development LLC and Cornerstone Construction Group LLC, focused on commercial and residential development execution.

Sean Tidwell

Sean Tidwell is a real estate developer, licensed builder, and entrepreneur. Sean is founder of The Tidwell Group, a family-run construction and development company. Sean has been investing in Detroit for over 30 years.