residential real estate — (Image: iStock / AndreyPopov)

by Jeffrey McKinney

August 1, 2024

Black Residential Real Estate Investors Are Bagging More Money, But Tenant Challenges Grow

Black residential real estate investors are generting more rent money while also facing extra rental obstacles.

Black American residential real estate investors are enduring some peaks and valleys in the 2024 market.

Some 51% of them are making more money today than they were a year ago. That is greater than 41% of investors overall experiencing that. Clever Real Estate surveyed 764 Americans who invest in residential real estate to learn more about their preferences and opinions on that type of investing. Some 84 of those quizzed —about 11%— were Black.

Simultaneously, 96% of Black residential real estate investors have lost money on an investment, versus 90% of respondents entirely. Also, 60% of the Black investors shared they could not live comfortably without their investment income, higher than 56% of all investors.

Nick Pisano, author of this fresh report supplied BLACK ENTERPRISE with some data on Black residential real estate investors. The information also showed that 61% of those Black investors have considered investing in a rent-to-own property, slightly lower than their peers overall. And 91% of Black residential rental investors have regrets about their investments, versus 87% of all respondents.

Further, the report uncovered several more intriguing findings. They included 59% of Black investors have had to deal with bad tenants, opposed to 51% of all surveyed. And 56% of Black residential rental investors have had to deal with tenants severely damaging their property.

Still, just 34% of Black residential rental investors deal with repairs at least once weekly, versus 40% of respondent all around. It was disclosed that 48% of Black residential investors have had to evict a tenant, as opposed to 56% of all respondents.

Some 70% of Black landlords must track down rent payments from their tenants monthly, compared to 63% of all those questioned.

Pisano offered some takeaways from the findings. He says that given that they are less likely to evict but more likely to track down payments and deal with bad tenants than the average respondent, Black landlords exhibit more patience with their tenants than most landlords.

He added that Black residential real estate investors are less likely to have been nearly ruined by an investment and less likely to regret having invested in real estate in the first place than other investors. That shows that they are more risk-averse than the general pool of investors.

On the advice front, Pisano suggested that Black real estate investors be more willing to take on risk and consider being a bit tougher on delinquent tenants if their goal is to improve income.

NASA, Victor Glover , moon — PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY

by Stacy Jackson

August 1, 2024

Charlotte Teen Lands ‘STEM Enhancement In Earth Science’ Internship With NASA

Gregory Taylor was among the top 10% of applicants selected to participate in NASA's SEES program as a 2024 summer intern.

Ahead of his junior year at Palisades High School in Charlotte, George Taylor has been accepted as a NASA summer intern as part of the 2024 STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) program.

The teen scholar was selected among the top 10% of 500 students who applied for the nationally competitive program at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research (UT/CSR), 11 Alive reported.

According to UT/CSR, the summer internship, which is part of NASA’s Science Activation program, commenced for Taylor and other 10th graders on July 27. The teen is hard at work conducting research alongside science and engineering experts. By the time Taylor returns home, he will have learned how to interpret NASA satellite data and contributed to the development of experiments centered around the ZQube satellite, which includes an experimental flight on the Zero G aircraft in microgravity.

“The SEES summer intern program will allow interns to view and investigate NASA remote sensing data, mission design, analysis of ice sheets, Earth’s gravity field, and other observations while being mentored by project scientists,” UT/CSR’s website states. “The interns will work beside NASA subject matter experts analyzing and visualizing data. This content knowledge, coupled with hands-on experiences, allows the intern to gain experience in authentic NASA research through field investigation and data analysis.”

In an overview of the internship experience, published on the program’s YouTube channel in 2017, Program Manager Margaret Baguio said the program provides a spark and gets students excited about exploring STEM degrees in college. Former interns described the internship as transformational, fun, enlightening, and inspiring.

After applications closed in February, Taylor was among the students who stood out based on his academic records, essay responses, introduction video, recommendation form, and STEM interest. Now, the teen is just a handful of days away from presenting his research with his ZQube team during the Virtual SEES Science Symposium on Aug. 5. He hopes to be an inspiration for other young students who want to explore the field of science.

Louisiana, Panhandling, homeless — A Denver homeless encampment in August 2023. (Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 1, 2024

U.S. Department Of Housing, Urban Development Spends $3.5B To Combat Homeless Crisis

'Nobody should have to live in their car or on the streets,' said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. 'These funds will provide shelter to Americans when they need our help the most.'

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced July 31 that it will provide $3.5 billion in competitive funding to assist with the nation’s homeless crisis.

HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said the funds will be dispersed among homeless services organizations for supportive services and housing programs for homeless persons. “This year’s funding opportunity makes available the largest amount of funding in history under the Continuum of Care program and reflects the Biden-Harris administration’s continued commitment to tackle the nation’s homelessness crisis with the urgency it requires,” Todman said.

“Nobody should have to live in their car or on the streets. These funds will provide shelter to Americans when they need our help the most.”

The funds will come from HUD’s Continuum of Care Program (CoC), the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services. The program receives more than 400 applications and funds close to 7,000 homeless services projects throughout the year. It is operated by housing entities of nonprofit providers, local government, states, and Indian tribes.

In addition to the funds, HUD is issuing a two-year Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will effectively streamline the application process and reduce administrative burdens significantly.

The department is also applying a first-of-its-kind cost of living adjustment CoC in an effort to combat increasing living costs. The adjustment will give additional support and pay to homeless assistance providers, which Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Marion McFadden says is often forgotten about.

“Our approach this year incorporates the feedback we received from providers to increase support for staff and reduce administrative burden by moving to a two-year application cycle so that staff can focus less time on paperwork needed to submit federal grant applications and more time on their core duties helping people experiencing homelessness,” McFadden said.

Rockville Housing Enterprises in Maryland is one of the entities that was awarded $154,000 of the funds. According to the Daily Record, the money came through HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative, aimed to prevent youth in the child welfare system from experiencing homelessness.

The announcement complements existing funding that HUD made available for permanent supportive housing through the Youth Homelessness System Improvement Grants and the 2023 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, supported by the Biden-Harris administration.

Pastor, Houston, sexual assault, Keion Henderson — (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

by Jameelah Mullen

August 1, 2024

Pastor Keion Henderson To Hold Services At Joel Olsteen’s Church After Hurricane Beryl Wreaks Havoc

The Category 5 Hurricane caused damages to three out of four of its Houston Campuses.

Pastor Keion Henderson’s Lighthouse Church suffered a huge blow after Hurricane Beryl caused severe damage to its North Campus in Houston. The Beaumont Enterprise reports that the hurricane caused an estimated $20 million in damages, leaving the church to cancel services indefinitely.

Fellow megachurch pastor Joel Olsteen has stepped in to help. The televangelist has allowed Henderson to temporarily hold services at his Lakewood Church. The 16,800 seat-building is the largest sanctuary in Houston. Donald Iloff, Lakewood’s lead spokesperson, told The Chron that Lakewood is not renting the space to Henderson. But he did say that Lighthouse Church would cover production and security costs.

Lighthouse will host services at Olsteen’s church on Sunday evenings for the next four weeks. Brian Smith, spokesman for Lighthouse confirmed the new location and said that the churches were still finalizing details.

“Lighthouse is grateful to the Lakewood staff for providing us the use of their building and sanctuary during the month,” Smith told The Chron.

“Their friendship and compassion are wonderful blessings to our church. The partnership between Lakewood and Lighthouse demonstrates that our community is all about the one resilience for the city of Houston.”

Henderson founded the Lighthouse Church in 2009. The megachurch has more than 15,000 members across its four Houston locations. He is the author of four books including “The Groow Zone,” which he co-authored with his wife, Shaunie.

Henderson faced backlash from social media users last May after a controversial clip from his church service surfaced on social media. In the viral video, the pastor is seen snapping his fingers at his parishioner and telling her to “hush” when she began wailing during his sermon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

As of now, the Lighthouse Church has not provided an official reopening date.

Kool DJ Red — Photo by Terence Rushin/Getty Images

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 1, 2024

Exclusive: Kool DJ Red Alert Honored With Harlem Statue Commemorating 40 Years In Radio

'Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I've been doing'

Legendary hip-hop DJ Kool DJ Red Alert, who is commemorating 40 years in radio, was honored with a statute in Harlem, New York, where he grew up.

The sculpture was unveiled on Friday, July 19, at Montefiore Square, West Harlem, located at 138th Street and Broadway.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 107.5 WBLS (@wbls1075nyc)

BLACK ENTERPRISE got the opportunity to speak to the legendary Kool DJ Red Alert about how the statue of him came to be, how it felt to witness an honor being unveiled, and what he has to say to the people who have supported him over 40 years.

Red Alert stated that a good friend of his, Irving Pantin, introduced him to the sculptor of the piece, Sherwin Banfield, and that started the process of getting his likeness made. Banfield has also done statues of other iconic hip-hop figures, The Notorious B.I.G., LL COOL J, and ‘The Cipher in Queens’ in Socrates Park that features Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.

He said that Banfield was interested in meeting with him in anticipation of building a statue. The conversation took place last year.

“The gentleman called me up, and he said let me have a sit down so I can feel you out and get an idea of where I want to go with this.”

According to the legendary DJ, they spoke, and Red didn’t think much about it because he was working on other projects. Two and a half months later, Banfield contacted him again and told him the sculpture was done. Red didn’t realize that he was working on it. Banfield asked him for a mix to incorporate the music into the sculpture so people would hear it when they saw the statue.

“It’s a mix that you would hear within the sculpture when people come to view it.”

The unveiling was surreal for Red Alert, and he didn’t realize the impact he and his work had on people over the years. When it was uncovered, he had many questions.

“There were so many different types of feelings inside me. Is this real? Is this me? Is this how people feel for me, and you know, it’s a little bit of everything, but at the same time, I learned to grab it and soak it and take time to endure the whole thing.”

He did have something to say to all who have been in his corner for years and still listen to his work and/or tune into his shows.

“What I want to say is to each and every person that has spent time listening to me. People on the radio or in the clubs, or you heard the tape or anything in person, one time or another throughout your time. Thank you for believing in me and embracing me for what I’ve been doing.”

Kamala Harris, Trump, Time — (Photos from left: Sean Gallup/Getty Images; Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

by Stacy Jackson

August 1, 2024

VP Harris Responds To Donald Trump’s ‘Now She Wants To Be Known As Black’ Remarks At NABJ Convention

VP Harris said Trump's remarks at the NABJ convention on her racial identity were divisive, disrespectful, and Americans "deserve better."

On July 31, after Donald Trump spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris took the podium in Houston, at Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.’s 60th International Biennial Boulé to revisit his false claims about her racial identity.

After sharing a few chuckles with attendees about Trump’s NABJ appearance that afternoon, Vice President Harris told the room of SGRHOs that his statements were divisive and disrespectful. “It was the same old show,” she said in a clip posted to MSNBC’s YouTube channel. “The American people deserve better,” she said, explaining that people deserve a leader “who tells the truth” and doesn’t “respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts.” She continued, “We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source to our strengths.”

Trump prompted a response from Harris after he responded during NABJ’s Q&A session about the Vice President’s racial identity and being labeled by Republicans as a DEI hire. During a live streaming from The Associated Press, the former POTUS said he didn’t know Vice President Harris was Black and claimed she only promoted her Indian heritage. “She happened to turn Black” a number of years ago, “and now she wants to be known as Black,” Trump said. He further questioned if Harris was Indian or Black and said although he respects both, he accused her of not respecting either. “She was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn…and she became a Black person.”

BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. released a statement explaining his decision to withdraw from the NABJ session and disagreement with the association to host a panel at the convention featuring Trump. “…This decision was, indeed, one of folly and cowardice and not in keeping with the historic tradition of NABJ and Black media as a whole,” Graves Jr. wrote.

Joy Reid of MSNBC’s The ReidOut called Trump’s appearance at the NABJ convention “the visual depiction of a dumpster fire.” She checked Trump’s remarks with facts about Vice President Harris, stating that Vice President Harris “is Black” and “she’s always identified as Black,” noting her father is a Black man. She dropped her credentials, informing that the VP is an HBCU alum of Howard University and a member of the historically Black Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., credentials BE has also confirmed several times about the politician.

“Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path to the White House,” a photographic biography written by Malaika Adero and published in 2021, takes readers on an in-depth look at Harris’ background and journey as the first Black and Asian American female vice president of the United States. The book revealed that the VP’s parents are from Jamaica and Chennai, India.

Sonya Massey, father — (Photo: Ruby Funeral Services via Wiki/editorial use)

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 1, 2024

‘We Failed Her’: Illinois Sheriff Remorseful Over Sonya Massey’s Death But Refuses To Resign

Justice for Sonya Massey

Illinois Sheriff Jack Campbell, whose deputy shot Sonya Massey, issued a remorseful apology for the incident during a community gathering in her honor, The Associated Press reports.

The sheriff of Sangamon County stood before a crowded room of more than 500 concerned citizens at Union Baptist Church for a gathering in Massey’s memory facilitated by the Community Relations Service of the Justice Department. Campbell asked forgiveness from community members and admitted his faults.

“I stand here today before you with arms wide open and I ask for your forgiveness,” Campbell emotionally said.

“I ask Ms. Massey and her family for forgiveness. I offer up no excuses. What I do is offer our attempt to do better, to be better.”

He continued his heartfelt remarks and stated that the department failed Massey.

“I’m going to say something that I’ve never said in my career before. We failed. We did not do our jobs.”

Tonight on WAND News at 10 Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell speaks to the public for the first time since his former employee killed Sonya Massey 23 days ago. pic.twitter.com/HbeO1mwb2e
— WAND TV News (@wandtvnews) July 30, 2024

A former deputy in his department, Sean Grayson, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct after shooting the unarmed Black woman in her home on July 6. Bodycam footage released on July 22 showed Grayson was seemingly fearful of water being thrown on him as Massey moved a pot of hot water from the stove.

Despite having non-lethal options on hand, Grayson, who is white, fired his weapon three times, striking Massey once in the face.

Outrage from the Massey family and supporters across the country ignited after the incident, calling for Campbell to resign from his post. Massey’s father, James Wilburn, accused the department of potentially lying its way out of the situation. Thanks to the bodycam footage, that wasn’t possible.

“I’m calling for the sheriff’s resignation because I think it’s a culture to treat this family this bad, to call out these lies,” he said.

“If it were not for the camera footage, we as a people, we as a people, they would have lied their way right out of this.”

James Wilburn, the father of Sonya Massey, said, without bodycam footage, the ⁦@Sang_Sheriff⁩’s department would have ‘lied its way’ out of the case. Wilburn again called Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign. Massey was fatally shot in her home on July 6. #SJRBreaking pic.twitter.com/kqfdftTSwQ
— Steven Spearie (@StevenSpearie) July 24, 2024

However, the sheriff, who was elected in 2018 and then again in 2022, has refused. “I will not abandon the sheriff’s office at this most critical moment,” Campbell said.

“That would solve nothing.”

Campbell has been ridiculed for vetting and hiring Grayson to work for Sangamon County in May 2023 despite a troubling record. According to Spectrum News, the former deputy had two drunk-driving convictions, was ejected from the U.S. Army for “serious misconduct,” and had six jobs in a matter of four years.

While working as a sheriff’s deputy in Logan County, he was reprimanded for ignoring a command to end a high-speed chase that resulted in a deer being hit.

Since Campbell refuses to step aside, protest organizers like Tiara Standage encourage Black voters to turn him away from the next election ballot.

“We will not be quiet,” Standage said.

“We will not let this be swept aside.”

Vybz Kartel, Murder Conviction, overturned, juror, jury, life sentence, London, gun, privy court, 32 years, life sentence — (Scott Gries/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 1, 2024

Dancehall Legend Vybz Kartel Freed After Appeals Court Declines To Retry Him On Murder Charges

He originally got his 2014 murder conviction overturned in March 2024.

After getting his 2014 murder conviction overturned in March, recording artist Vybz Kartel is now officially a free man after the Jamaican Court of Appeals declined to retry him.

According to BBC News, Vybz Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, will not face another trial after being convicted in the killing of Clive “Lizard” Williams in 2014 in Jamaica. The Privy Council in London overturned the ruling in March after learning that a juror was accused of trying to bribe other jurors at the trial. The council concluded that the accused juror should have been kicked off the trial after discovering the attempted bribery of other jurors.

On July 31, the appeal judges in Jamaica determined that the case would not go back to court, setting the freedom of Kartel, who is reportedly in poor health.

Kartel has always maintained his innocence.

Kartel and his co-defendants, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John, were given life sentences, with the dancehall artist being told he would have to spend a minimum of 35 years in prison.

After initially appealing his sentence in Jamaica courts, he took his case to the Privy Council, where the London court agreed with Kartel, and the judges said it was “fatal to the safety of the convictions which followed” and “an infringement of the [defendants’] fundamental right to a fair hearing.”

On July 31, Jamaica’s Court of Appeal’s Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop stated she and the other judges weighed up the “egregious nature and seriousness of the offense” against the amount of time passed, the lack of access to witnesses and evidence as well as the huge expense of a retrial. Another determining factor was Kartel’s “declining health” and the effects of what a new trial would have had on his physical and mental well-being.

“We conclude that the interests of justice do not require a new trial,” the court said, formally acquitting the recording artist and his co-defendants.

Rolling Stone reported that the men were convicted on March 14, 2014. Prosecutors stated that Lizard was allegedly killed over missing guns and that Kartel allegedly summoned him to his home, where he was allegedly beaten to death. His body was never found. The alleged incident took place in August 2011.

Shannon Sharpe, OchoCinco — Photos from left: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Tyler Robinson Foundation; Mark Brown/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 1, 2024

Shannon Sharpe, Chad ‘OchoCinco’ Johnson Offer $50K To Select Olympians If They Win Gold

"Sometimes you need a little motivation, right?"

On a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe and Chad “OchoCinco” Johnson‘s “Nightcap’ podcast, after finding out the cash amount that gold medal winners from the United States take home, they offered to up the stakes and pay some Olympian athletes $50,000 each for bringing the gold home.

The two former NFL players were disappointed to learn that after years of training and giving their all to the sport they participate in, if American athletes win a gold medal at the Olympics, they are only awarded $37,000. Sharpe comments that each gold medal winner should take home at least $200,000. So, he offered to pay four particular athletes $25,000, with OchoCinco contributing an additional $25,000 for a total of $50,000, to those who stand on the podium to receive a gold medal.

Those four Olympians were track-and-field competitors: Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Rai Benjamin, and Sydney McLaughlin Levrone.

“Noah Lyles, if you win the 100-meter gold, me and Ocho $25,000 apiece,” Sharpe says in the video clip.”You too, Sha’Carri, you get that 100? Nephew, hey Rai, you win the gold? 25K.”

“Oh, Syd. Oh, the hurdle.”

OchoCinco chimed in and said, “You might as well mail Syd her check now!”

Not only did the pair offer each of those Olympians a $50,000 payout, but they even went as far as offering any American who breaks any world record in any sport an additional $50,000 each.

“I pay $50,000 to any American who breaks a world record,” said Sharpe. “I don’t give a damn what the event is, out of my pocket.”

OchoCinco goes off-camera to grab five stacks ($10,000 bundles) to show in front of the camera.

“Sometimes you need a little motivation, right?”

The former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver goes on to say that the athletes bust their butts for four years, and they only receive $37,000 for winning the top medal of the games.

a US gold medal🥇is worth how much?? 🤯@ShannonSharpe @ochocinco @ShayShayMedia_ pic.twitter.com/V9nzRbbzDG

— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) July 29, 2024