Black Woman Developer Reclaims Land After 50 Years

Imagine a piece of land, once vibrant, then taken, and left vacant for half a century. Now, picture a Black woman developer stepping in, not just to build on it, but to return it to the very community it was unjustly seized from. That’s exactly the powerful story unfolding in North Portland, thanks to the vision and tenacity of Anyeley Hallová.

A Vision for Community Reinvestment

Anyeley Hallová, the force behind Adre, a Black women-owned B-Corp, is spearheading a remarkable 1.7-acre development. This isn’t just any project; it’s about reclaiming a site that sat empty for over 50 years after being taken from the Black community through eminent domain. Her plan includes 20 homeownership opportunities, 85 affordable rental units, and a 25,000-square-foot Business Hub designed to support local small businesses and entrepreneurs.

This endeavor faced significant hurdles. The land, neglected and contaminated for decades, required an extensive and costly cleanup – nearly $8 million – before any construction could even begin. Hallová emphasizes that the project’s core mission is ‘returning the land to the community it was taken from.’

Breaking Barriers in a Limited Field

The statistics are stark: Black developers represent a mere 0.4% of the real estate industry, with Black women developers making up an even smaller fraction, around 0.1%. Hallová points out that these numbers reveal who the system was designed for and the sheer persistence required to navigate it. ‘That number tells you everything about who the system was built for and how much persistence it takes to operate within it,’ she shares.

After years of contemplation, Hallová launched Adre in 2020. A pivotal moment came after completing the Meyer Memorial Trust headquarters, an equity-focused project. This experience made her question why she was treating equity work as a side hustle. ‘I realized I did not want to go back to solely market-rate development,’ she explains. ‘I had always known the kind of work I wanted to do, but I had not yet been in a position to fully do it.’

A Foundation Built on Expertise and Purpose

Hallová’s journey to this point is backed by an impressive academic foundation, with degrees in environmental systems from Cornell, city planning from MIT, and landscape architecture from Harvard. This multidisciplinary background provides a comprehensive understanding of development from the ground up. Before founding Adre, she even led the development of the first US mass timber high-rise.

With such credentials, she could have pursued many paths. However, Hallová felt a calling to use her expertise for a greater purpose. ‘The credentials opened doors, but at a certain point the question shifted from what is available to me to what is mine to do,’ she reflects. ‘The most meaningful use of that experience was to bring those pieces together in service of communities that had historically been excluded, and to do it on my own terms.’

Redefining the Developer’s Role

Hallová believes the complexity of development is often misunderstood, perhaps intentionally. The process involves intricate steps: understanding land ownership and history, securing diverse funding sources (public agencies, philanthropists, lenders), navigating design and permitting, and finally, construction. Each stage can take years and involves numerous stakeholders with their own demands.

Adre tackles these challenges head-on, aiming to dismantle barriers related to knowledge, capital, and trust. A key part of their mission is ensuring that at least 30% of every development dollar is spent with BIPOC and women-owned businesses. To date, Adre has successfully directed $13.1 million to these firms, meticulously tracking every cent. ‘If you are developing in Black and brown communities but that capital is still leaving through the same channels, you have not changed the outcome,’ Hallová states. ‘You have only changed the address.’

More Than Just Buildings: Community and Art

The industry is responding with curiosity rather than resistance, as other entities inquire about Adre’s innovative approach. Hallová notes that qualified BIPOC and women-owned firms have always existed; they simply weren’t receiving the opportunities. Her current portfolio also includes the Prismid Sanctuary, a $7 million project co-created with Grammy-winning artist esperanza spalding. This facility aims to be the first Net Zero, Black and Indigenous community-designed and owned space in the Pacific Northwest.

What sets Prismid apart is its community-driven design process. Instead of architects leading the way, community members have been actively shaping the vision through ongoing design workshops since 2022. ‘When art and development share equal ownership, the vision and the process are co-created, resulting in a place that reflects what the community actually needs,’ Hallová explains.

Inspiring Future Generations

Hallová’s commitment extends beyond development projects. She authored ‘A Kids Book About Real Estate Development,’ the first of its kind, and is finalizing a course called ‘Development for Community.’ She sees these educational initiatives as integral to her work, aiming to inspire young Black girls by showing them a future where they are not just residents of a community, but its architects. ‘That there is a version of her future where she is not just living inside someone else’s decisions. She is the one making them,’ she shares.