Ann Arbor Times

Growing up in Detroit, Chase Cantrell observed the challenges faced by communities lacking resources. As a University of Michigan alum and executive director of Building Community Value, Cantrell aims to empower residents through real estate education. His experience as a real estate and corporate lawyer revealed the exclusion of community voices in development projects.

Cantrell emphasized, “Including community voices is a form of power.” He believes that enabling residents to lead real estate projects can help build wealth locally. Reflecting on past events, he noted, “In 2014, almost 100,000 parcels were marked for redevelopment by the Detroit Land Bank Authority,” highlighting how speculators often acquired these properties at the expense of local African American residents.

To address this issue, Cantrell founded Building Community Value in 2016. The organization focuses on equipping Detroit's residents with skills to redevelop vacant spaces according to local needs. He explained, “Many community members were concerned and interested in figuring out how to reclaim ownership of this land.”

Expanding his efforts beyond southeast Michigan, Cantrell launched an online course titled “Real Estate Development: Building Value in Your Community.” Available on Michigan Online and Coursera, the course offers foundational knowledge on real estate development with an emphasis on equity.

Cantrell remarked that understanding even basic concepts empowers residents to advocate effectively for their communities. He stated, “I am a teacher before a developer,” underscoring his commitment to education as a tool for empowerment.

He concluded by encouraging individuals to recognize their potential impact: “Everything we see around us was someone’s idea, and someone built it. I want people to understand that they have the power, authority and the potential to do the same thing.”