Real Estate Moguls Unite to House Homeless

Open Doors, an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on securing housing for those exiting homelessness, has received a $300,000 cornerstone gift to the Open More Doors campaign from Norman Radow, CEO of commercial real estate redevelopment company, RADCO.

The Open More Doors campaign is Open Doors’ new strategic plan to address homelessness and housing insecurity in the Metro Atlanta community. Through networking available apartments, non-profits can serve homeless populations. More than 540 properties, comprising more than 100,000 units, are now participating in the collaboration. Local “King of the Beltline” Aaron Goldman, president and co-owner of Perennial Properties, serves as the founding board chair of Open Doors.

Along with more than 100 community partners, Open Doors is actively closing the gap on housing instability; with every $1,000 donated to Open Doors, a family is placed in a sustainable, affordable home in under 30 days. In 2021, Open Doors connected more than 1,200 people to its portfolio of over 450 multifamily communities that are professionally managed by 120 property management companies, including RADCO.

A noted philanthropist and respected commercial real estate leader, Radow grew up in and around the Brooklyn public housing projects and saw first-hand how poverty and segregation affected public policy. He decided that, if able, he would help families live in safer communities that offered more opportunities.

“Being on the brink of homelessness has never been more important than it is now, when, in fact, the need for affordable, stable and secure housing is growing,…I’ve been involved with Open Doors for a decade, and proud that my daughter, Lisa Hurd, serves on its board and spearheads fundraising. Although it’s hard to say ‘no’ to her, the fact is that homelessness is a pressing concern in society and Atlanta. Open Doors offers practical solutions to homelessness, and now we really see how this is making a difference.”

Radow emphasized that it’s important to place the appropriate people in the right neighborhoods, where their kids go to school, for example, so they can best thrive. He also uses high quality building materials. Radow noted that many of his multifamily buildings are located as far out as Kennesaw, as well as those Intown.

He concluded, “Being in real estate, I feel the obligation to do the most good whenever we can.”

Goldman reemphasized Radow’s impact, “Norman doesn’t just talk, he acts, quickly and decisively. I come to him first on matters of political judgment and funding, social justice, community, and investing. Norman is exceedingly generous with his time and guidance on US-Israel, Jewish and African American partnerships, affordable and homeless housing, he is first to help, usually three steps ahead on strategy and way ahead on funding.

While he and wife, Lindy, are known for incredible support in the Jewish community, and in Israel, they are first movers to support good governance, policies, and non-profit programming. Early in the creation of Open Doors, Norm was one of the first landlords to offer funding, guidance, and apartments in his portfolio to help formerly homeless Atlantans get a fresh, safe, second chance. Thanks to his early participation, others were quick to follow.”

When Norman and daughter, Lisa, CIO of RADCO, pledged the $300,000 toward the non-profit’s Open More Doors’ $7 million capital campaign, Radow responded, “Thank you for this incredible service to Atlanta…Where do I send the money?”

Many others followed suit and they are now 90 percent complete on the campaign.

“Through the Open More Doors campaign, we are furthering the work of our amazing partners of making homelessness brief, rare and non-recurring while expanding our scope to help welcome home anyone living in housing insecurity,” said Matt Hurd (no relation to Lisa Hurd), executive director of Open Doors. “We are incredibly grateful for our long-term supporter and contributor, Norman Radow, for providing us with one of the cornerstone gifts of this recently launched funding campaign.”

To support Open More Doors, visit opendoorsatl.org/donate/