Dr. Gina Merritt
An independent thinker and a risk-taker who has worked on some of the most complex real estate transactions in the community and commercial development sector.
"People from low-income communities are quite capable of working for an extended period of time. These folks aren't lazy or unreliable, they just lack access to opportunity."
From Growing Up in Affordable Housing to Building It
Dr. Merritt has exceptionally high standards for herself. She has had to overcome significant personal challenges as a young person — losing her mother at the age of 13 and having a father who faced personal challenges. These obstacles created a drive in her that forged a distinct level of ambition and high ideals.
Dr. Merritt made her way to a top undergraduate school and graduate school whilst working on Wall Street in between. When presented with the opportunity to return to Wall Street, she instead chose another very difficult path for a woman of color: commercial real estate.
Her career in real estate spans over 28 years. She has demonstrated success by working with some of the most prominent real estate developers in the country who choose to work with her — not because she is a Black female developer, but because she is a technical expert in her field.
Dr. Merritt grew up in affordable housing, and it is her mission and passion to work on projects that truly make a difference in the community. Since 2021, NREUV has raised over $310M for projects — including $124M in 2024 alone — and currently has 17 buildings and 1,200 affordable housing units in its pipeline across Ohio, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
