Solution

East Freedman & Main provides an alternative to the traditional development model by centering community ownership and wealth-building in every project. By integrating economic sovereignty into real estate development, EFM ensures that residents, businesses, and organizations maintain control over their neighborhoods. Through a combination of catalytic capital, technical assistance, and strategic planning, EFM equips communities with the tools needed to compete at scale, drive sustainable growth, and build long-term prosperity without displacement.
 

Product / service

East Freedman & Main provides a full spectrum of real estate development, economic empowerment, and strategic advisory services designed to create lasting impact in historically disinvested communities. The firm works alongside local stakeholders to develop community ownership strategies that ensure long-term control of neighborhood assets, preventing displacement and fostering sustainable economic growth. Through its expertise in real estate development and advisory, EFM guides projects from concept to completion, offering owner representation, development management, and co-development partnerships that align with community values.

Beyond real estate, EFM actively cultivates thriving local economies by supporting small businesses, minority and women-owned enterprises (M/WBEs), and entrepreneurs through technical assistance, financial readiness programs, and access to capital. The firm also specializes in structuring mission-aligned investment funds, such as the AGENDA Fund, which enable communities to compete at scale for control over their own development. By integrating community-driven economic strategies with intentional investment, EFM builds resilient neighborhoods where residents and businesses not only remain but thrive.

Projected impact

East Freedman & Main is rooted in the belief that the people who have been most excluded from ownership—particularly those directly impacted by the transatlantic slave trade, including Black communities, and other historically marginalized groups—must be at the center of shaping the future of their neighborhoods. We partner with these communities to bring their visions to life, translating grassroots priorities into real estate and investment strategies that build power, ownership, and long-term stability.

Our work begins with trust and is built through deep, place-based partnerships. We collaborate with local leaders, organizers, faith institutions, and community-based organizations to reclaim land, unlock access to capital, and ensure that development is driven by those it is meant to serve. In doing so, we transform real estate from a tool of extraction into a platform for community self-determination.

Through this approach, we:

• Facilitate community-led real estate development, ensuring projects reflect and reinforce the cultural, social, and economic priorities of the neighborhood.

• Increase land and property ownership among historically marginalized groups, particularly Black residents, through shared equity models, land trusts, and community-controlled entities.

• Support local business ecosystems, by providing affordable commercial space, technical assistance, and investment pathways for BIPOC-owned small and mid-sized enterprises.

• Create and retain place-based employment, with a focus on community hiring, workforce development, and economic models that circulate wealth locally.

• Anchor long-term affordability and prevent displacement, using ownership structures that stabilize communities and resist speculation.

• Help close the racial wealth gap, by ensuring that economic value created through development is owned by, and benefits, the communities generating it.

At East Freedman & Main, we do not bring outside solutions—we co-create pathways that restore what has been denied. By centering community leadership and aligning capital with justice, we help build neighborhoods that are economically resilient, culturally rooted, and owned by the people who call them home.

Theory of change

East Freedman & Main operates on the principle that when historically excluded communities—particularly Black communities and those impacted by the transatlantic slave trade—gain access to land, capital, and decision-making power, they can build lasting systems of wealth, care, and collective ownership.

Our theory of change unfolds in three interlocking phases:

1. Community Partnership and Asset Acquisition

   We begin by partnering with community-based organizations to secure strategic assets—buildings, land, and infrastructure—that form the foundation for long-term neighborhood stewardship.

    

2. Equitable Development and Activation

   We develop real estate projects that reflect community priorities—affordable housing, workforce training centers, cooperative businesses, and cultural institutions—anchored by mission-aligned capital and community-controlled governance.

    

3. Ownership and Wealth Building

   We implement inclusive ownership structures that return value to local stakeholders: shared-equity housing, community land trusts, commercial cooperatives, and investment vehicles that redistribute both decision-making and financial returns.

    

By shifting who owns, who benefits, and who decides, we interrupt patterns of extraction and build new systems rooted in dignity, equity, and care. This transformation is not short-term—it’s designed to build generational wealth, community infrastructure, and resilient local economies that reflect the people they serve.

Beneficiaries

East Freedman & Main’s work is built to serve historically divested and marginalized communities—those excluded from ownership, investment, and decision-making power by systems of racialized and structural disinvestment. While our origins and expertise are deeply rooted in partnership with Black communities, our strategies are intentionally designed to support a wide range of communities facing displacement, economic exclusion, and the erosion of cultural and economic infrastructure.

Our primary beneficiaries include:

• Communities of color, immigrant communities, and low-income neighborhoods who face barriers to accessing land, capital, and development pathways aligned with their values.

• Black families and residents, particularly those impacted by the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and systemic racism, whose experiences and leadership have shaped our frameworks and models.

• Renters and aspiring homeowners in at-risk neighborhoods, who benefit from stabilized housing, pathways to ownership, and protection from displacement.

• Local entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and small businesses, especially those led by BIPOC, immigrant, and women entrepreneurs, who gain access to affordable space and targeted support for sustainability and growth.

• Community-based organizations and faith institutions, which play an anchoring role in the social fabric of neighborhoods and are often excluded from formal development roles.

• Future generations, who inherit neighborhoods with community-controlled assets, stable housing, and thriving, locally driven economies that reflect their culture and priorities.

By grounding our work in the lived experience of Black communities and applying those insights with care, intention, and respect in other divested communities, East Freedman & Main advances a replicable model of community-centered development. We believe that the tools developed to repair one set of harms can—and must—be adapted to support the broader movement toward justice, equity, and community sovereignty.

Traction

EFM has demonstrated significant traction through successful large-scale projects, strategic partnerships, and financial milestones:

• Kingsbridge Armory, Bronx, NY: Facilitated community land control for a 560,000 sq. ft. redevelopment, ensuring long-term ownership and economic benefits for local residents.
• Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, Chicago, IL: Partnered to build over 1,000 single-family homes and deploy a $100M+ commercial real estate strategy focused on neighborhood stabilization.
• 52nd Street Retail Corridor, Philadelphia, PA: Designed and implemented an M/WBE economic development ecosystem, securing over $750K in working capital loans and ensuring full minority business participation in revitalization efforts.
• Over $1BN in Development Managed: Across multiple projects, EFM has structured financing, raised capital, and advised on large-scale, community-driven real estate investments.

Business model

East Freedman & Main operates at the intersection of real estate development, impact investment, and community empowerment, using a multi-pronged approach to generate both financial and social returns. The firm provides expert advisory and consulting services to community organizations, municipalities, and mission-aligned investors, helping them navigate complex development projects with a focus on equitable ownership and long-term sustainability. As a development partner, EFM takes on owner representation and development management roles, ensuring that projects reflect the needs and priorities of the communities they serve.

Additionally, EFM structures and deploys impact-driven capital through vehicles like the AGENDA Fund, which facilitates community-led investments in real estate and economic development. Revenue is generated through a combination of consulting fees, development management contracts, and strategic investment partnerships. By leveraging fee-based services alongside at-risk investments and equity stakes in select projects, EFM sustains its mission while maintaining financial viability. This model enables the firm to scale its impact, ensuring that historically divested communities can secure their own economic futures.
 

Market & competition

East Freedman & Main operates in a rapidly evolving landscape where cities, policymakers, and investors are increasingly prioritizing equitable development and community ownership. Unlike traditional real estate developers that focus on financial returns, EFM integrates cultural preservation, local ownership, and economic sovereignty into every project, ensuring neighborhoods remain stable and self-sustaining. While competing with community development corporations (CDCs) and economic consulting firms, EFM’s ability to structure mission-aligned capital, guide large-scale development, and build wealth-building ecosystems sets it apart. As demand grows for impact-driven investment and anti-displacement strategies, EFM is positioned as a leading partner for municipalities, investors, and community organizations seeking sustainable, justice-driven economic transformation.
 

Vision & strategy

EFM envisions a future where historically marginalized communities have full control over their economic and real estate futures. By leveraging real estate as a tool for community empowerment, EFM aims to establish sustainable wealth-building ecosystems that ensure long-term prosperity. The firm’s strategy focuses on:

• Scaling Community-Led Development // Expanding its impact across multiple cities by replicating proven models of success.
• Deploying Mission-Aligned Capital // Raising and managing funds that directly support equitable economic growth.
• Building Strong Partnerships // Collaborating with municipalities, nonprofits, and investors who share the commitment to economic justice.
• Advancing Policy & Advocacy // Influencing policies that reinforce sustainable, community-first development.