LOS ANGELES, Calif.--November 10, 2021 — PeerStreet, a platform for investing in real estate-backed loans, is introducing the first cohort of entrepreneurs for its Evolving Neighborhood Uplift Fund (E.N.U.F.) program. E.N.U.F. is PeerStreet’s charitable initiative designed to invest in real estate entrepreneurs from underserved backgrounds who are committed to improving their communities and closing the wealth gap using the power of real estate. E.N.U.F. was launched in February of 2021 as a way to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and capital they need to invest in real estate projects and, in doing so, invest in their communities.
As part of the E.N.U.F. Mentorship program, the entrepreneurs will have access to mentors, education, and capital to build wealth and improve the neighborhoods and communities where they work and live. Entrepreneurs who have identified a property may apply to the E.N.U.F fund for seed capital in the form of an equity investment. Profits from the E.N.U.F. fund’s investment will be reinvested into the projects of future E.N.U.F. entrepreneurs.
“Our goal is to teach entrepreneurs how to invest in real estate and raise capital in a repeatable way. We want them to use the E.N.U.F. project to learn the fundamentals of investing, and then go off and do it again and again,” said Brew Johnson, CEO of PeerStreet. “Everyone — the E.N.U.F. entrepreneurs, mentors, and the PeerStreet team — is rallied around the same idea that we can truly make a difference if we enable this cycle of wealth creation through real estate.”
Introducing the first cohort of E.N.U.F. entrepreneurs:
Charles Robinson: Born and raised in Florida, Charles purchased his first single family property in 2018 and has since purchased a triplex and building in downtown Durham, NC. His goal with E.N.U.F. is to grow his knowledge, expertise, and network in the commercial real estate, multifamily, and mixed-use development space so he can open more doors for Black developers, building wealth for their families and communities.
Kimberlee Williams: A New Jersey native, Kimberlee is a communications and marketing professional who is extremely passionate about ensuring that home ownership is within reach for Black and Brown residents. She hopes to use E.N.U.F. to create shared common area spaces and concepts to attract young talent and college grads to the Essex County area.
Evan Odeseye: Raised by a single mother in Staten Island, Evan still resides there today where he hosts events to give back to his community. From turkey drives and clothing drives to toy drives, he believes in investing back into the community and giving others the opportunities he didn't have growing up. He’s always dreamed of getting involved with real estate, and now, he’s ready to take these ambitions to the next level.
Alicia Jones: Alicia moved from her hometown of Detroit to attend Clark Atlanta University — and 30 years later, has remained in Atlanta ever since. She’s a real estate sales professional with over 20 years of sales, marketing, and luxury retail management experience, specializing in the Atlanta market. Inspired by the “Buy the Block” movement, she hopes to use E.N.U.F. to invest in underserved communities of greater Atlanta.
Ryan Jackson: A husband, father, Christian educator, and leader within his local church in Michigan, Ryan is a self-described real estate “newbie.” But his passion to get more involved in his community has led him to become active in local real estate meetups and complete two real estate projects so far. With E.N.U.F., he wants to invest in underserved neighborhoods in Kalamazoo, MI by providing adequate and quality housing for residents.
Entrepreneurs, community organizations, donors and investors interested in getting involved with the E.N.U.F. project can visit www.peerstreet.com/enuf for more information. To get involved, please reach out to enuf@peerstreet.com.
ABOUT PEERSTREET
PeerStreet is a technology platform that democratizes access to real estate debt investments. The company’s unique technology-driven marketplace enables investors to diversify their capital in a fixed-income asset class that had previously been difficult for individuals to access.
Loans are sourced from vetted private lenders throughout the United States who often have regional real estate expertise and long-term borrower relationships. PeerStreet enables these lenders to expand their lending capital, empowering them to make more loans, which flows through to borrowers who in turn improve their local communities—one house at a time. As of March 2021, PeerStreet has had over $4 billion transacted on its platform. PeerStreet was founded in 2014 and is backed by such renowned venture capitalists as Andreeson Horowitz, World Innovation Lab and Thomvest.
