Join us for a Celebrity AMA with Community-Conscious Real Estate Developer Derek Avery
In the fall of 2018, Strong Towns hosted a multi-day Regional Gathering in Plano, Texas. Dozens of folks from around North Texas and beyond showed up to discuss how to advance the Strong Towns vision of bottom-up, incremental growth and enduring fiscal resilience in the region. Out of the whole slate of presenters walking their Strong-Citizen talk whom we lined up in Plano, though, there was one name we kept hearing over and over in the feedback we got after the event: “Derek Avery was amazing!” “I loved hearing Derek Avery speak!” “Derek Avery is doing some really important work. How can I find out more about it?”
Derek Avery presenting at the Strong Towns North Texas Regional Gathering in 2018
Avery is a real-estate developer in Texas, but an unconventional one. His work is deeply community-centric, rooted in the mantra of “revitalization without gentrification.” His company, COIR Holdings, takes a holistic approach to the neighborhoods it works in: not just building affordable homes, but forging relationships and seeking to lift up both the place and the people who already live there.
We believe a nation of Strong Towns would have thousands of Derek Averys. So to further share his work and discuss it with you all, we’ve invited him to be the featured guest in the May 2019 installment of our Ask Strong Towns: Celebrity Edition webcast.
On Friday, May 10th at 12pm CDT, Strong Towns members are invited to a very special Ask Me Anything event with Derek Avery. Participants in this edition of Celebrity Ask Strong Towns are invited to log on live for a conversation between Avery and Strong Towns president and founder Chuck Marohn, followed by a moderated digital Q&A period with the author. Members, please check your email for your exclusive invite, or email team@strongtowns.org.
Not a member? Join the movement now to join this webcast and ask your questions live. A recording of this live conversation will be released in the weeks following for non-members.
More About Derek Avery
• Read our transcribed interview with Derek, published shortly after the North Texas Gathering.
Derek J. Avery, Sr. is the Founder and President of COIR Holdings, LLC. He is an experienced real estate professional and alumnus of Baylor University. He has been involved in selling, building, developing, and consulting real estate for over 12 years. Derek sold real estate in Houston, TX from 2006-2014. He was a board member of Southeast Houston Community Development Corporation from 2009-2012 where 125 homes were built including a community learning center. Over the last 6 years, Derek has saved property owners over a billion dollars in property tax valuation as a property tax consultant.
Derek grew up in transitional and underserved neighborhoods in Houston, TX, which instilled in him the passion for those areas. Derek is currently building zero-net capable homes and commercial spaces in the southern region of Dallas. He is the creator of the Joy Building System, and he advocates for revitalization without gentrification. His life is devoted to spreading the love of Jesus Christ through his life as an example, his professional work, community action, and service to those in need. He is currently a board member and Ambassador of NTARUPT (North Texas Alliance to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy in Teens). He is happily married to his college sweetheart Bianca Avery, and they have three children: Derek Jr., Madison, and Bryce.