LOCAL DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS’ GOAL IS TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY ECONOMICALLY

Amanda Henderson is the CEO of H&H Fast Properties, Inc. The company founded by her father Ray Henderson, renovates and revitalizes vacant and distressed properties. Photo provided by Amanda Henderson
Amanda Henderson is the CEO of H&H Fast Properties, Inc. The company founded by her father Ray Henderson, renovates and revitalizes vacant and distressed properties. Photo provided by Amanda Henderson

Local Development Business’ goal is to impact the community economically

BY TIA CAROL JONES
Amanda Henderson wanted to make an economic difference. She decided to go into real estate.

Henderson, who holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, worked in academia for several years, she couldn’t stay there. Last year, Henderson took over as CEO of H&H Fast properties. The business, founded by her father Ray Henderson which renovates and revitalizes vacant and distressed properties.

Henderson’s father instilled in her and her siblings an awareness of what was going on in the community, and the need to have an economic education. The company works with other business
owners in a consortium which includes businessmen and women.

Henderson thinks about the community in a biological sense, as the interaction of different species in a confined area. “It’s the
interaction of people from different demographics.
It’s not just the people who live there, it’s the people who own and operate businesses, the people that pass through.” In regards to what H&H Fast Properties does on the South and West sides, it also involves interactions, She said.

When H&H Fast Properties goes into those communities, it is trying to engage in interactions between the different demographics. It does that by recognizing who is there, what are the resources and what’s important, providing jobs, working with
children and providing youth training.

H&H Fast Properties hosted a Black Excellence Awards ceremony to recognize educators, scholars, clergy, elected officials. It also provided meals to the Wentworth Elementary School and makes donations to homeless shelters. Returning citizens also have benefitted from the H & H philanthropy works
through resources that provides jobs and shelter. Recently H&H Fast Properties worked with the Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. organization on an initiative to provide shelter for young women.

Henderson believes sustainable living and economic empowerment within under resourced neighborhoods are
necessary to survive. For Henderson sustainable living is more than not drinking out of plastic bottles, recycling or solar
power. “Really, it is living a lifestyle that is not destabilizing. The same is true with any economics to it. We need it,” she said.
“When I hear something like Black people are the largest consumers in the US it’s sort of disheartening to hear that the age group of 20-30 years net worth is 0.”

Henderson wants young people to be aware not only of how they can live their lifestyle but how they can continue it from generation to generation. They should be aware of how money comes in and out of their communities, especially
because oftentimes, they stay there most of their lives.

H&H Fast Properties has worked with the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation on rehabbing of commercial storefronts for businesses, office spaces and multi-unit residential spaces. H & H is venturing into rehabbing the larger vacant
commercial spaces on the South Side.

“We actually love to get those houses or buildings that have been sitting for years that often go to the demo court in the
City of Chicago, for a number of different reasons. It doesn’t mean that it’s not habitable, it just means no one is living there,” she said, adding the company works with different organizations that work with problem properties.

The pandemic has helped H&H Fast Properties modernize the way the company does business. It helped them to get their business in order.

The No. 1 thing Henderson hears when she hosts homebuying seminars is people saying they can’t afford it. Sometimes
she finds that a mortgage can be cheaper than rent. There are programs available to first time homebuyers, but not everyone
is eligible. To save up money for the down payment, Henderson says it takes discipline. She recommends that people look at their finances before considering purchasing real estate.

For more information, visit hhfastproperties. com.

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