About BRicK Partners, LLC

About BRicK Partners, LLC

What is BRicK?

Founded in September 2012, BRicK is an independent, women-owned consulting and collaborative management firm specializing in housing and community development. BRicK is focused on devising and implementing solutions to some of the vexing challenges facing this industry, with a particular focus on replicable, scalable and sustainable regional strategies.  

What do you mean by “vexing challenges?”

Housing policy decisions often face controversy, but there’s nothing more fundamentally important to families than the location, stability, quality, and affordability of their home. Nonetheless, working families and black, indigenous, and people of color typically need to choose between (a) an affordable home that is not near good jobs, schools or transit, or (b) a home that consumes too much of their income in a neighborhood with a quality education system that positions their children to thrive.  Furthermore, our nation’s job centers are typically unaffordable to 70% of the local workforce, exacerbating traffic problems and contributing to workforce instability.

What is a “collaborative management” firm?

Collaborative management is our approach to traditional project management, cognizant of the important role of each partner in realizing the common vision necessary to overcome the vexing challenges described above. As a firm of “do-ers,” most satisfied by achieving results that reflect an inclusive planning process, BRicK embraces cross-sector and interjurisdictional initiatives, beginning with the consulting and research, and continuing into “the launch!”  

How does BRicK work with clients?

BRicK’s local and national assignments often revolve around three themes: (1) aligning interagency and interjurisdictional work plans and finance tools to increase development and investment in priority areas, (2) engaging anchor institutions and other employers, and (3) local, regional and national housing policies.  BRicK advances housing, community and economic development solutions by helping clients and innovators expand capacity, foster collaboration, and align the commitments necessary to pursue shared priorities and implement change. 

Is BRicK a non-profit?

 

No. BRicK is a mission-driven Limited Liability Corporation dedicated to helping to create more equitable communities and regions.

What does the name “BRicK” mean?

We often get asked this question. One answer is that Beth, Robin and Karen started the firm together; we realized that our initials basically spelled “brick,” which seemed like an appropriate name for a firm focused on housing.

Another answer is that our company is all about building, and BRicK is thus a metaphor. We don’t literally renovate or develop homes and neighborhoods, but we help to build:  (1) effective, collaborative partnerships; (2) innovative financing strategies and (3) capacity where it’s needed.  When it comes to healthy housing and equitable communities, these three strategic building blocks are as fundamental to the provision of housing as bricks to construction. Whether our clients ask us to focus broadly on national, state or regional policies and places or more narrowly at the neighborhood or city level, we understand the building blocks necessary to provide the right mix of housing and needed amenities to meet the needs of the diversity of people who live and work in the targeted area.