Compassionate capitalist Margaret Stagmeier has purchased and transformed 3,500 units in the Atlanta area over the past three decades.
Angela Fracker
Like food and water, having a roof over your head is essential for survival.
But withhousing costscontinuing to climb, many Americans are struggling to secure this basic human need.
Credit:Angela Fracker
But theres a landlord inAtlanta, Georgia, who is working to change thisone affordable community at a time.
I knew right then and there I wanted to be a landlord, she toldSouthern Living.
And that’s effectively what I do for a living.
Credit:Kristin Hemingway
I buy real estate and play Monopoly… and I try not to ever sell!
She said this is a key element not only in theclassic board game, but in real life.
So how does she do it?
She said it begins with building trust.
Number one, you’ve got to make them safe.
Next comes the issue of kids and education.
Often these low-income communities are surrounded by low-performing schools.
Stagmeier said the reason boils down to student transiency.
And that’s the difference between an affluent school and a low-performing school, she stated.
The group also collaborates withKaboom!to set up community playgrounds where residents can interact and make social connections.
Kristin Hemingway
Once these wrap-around services are in place, Stagmeier said, Then we start renovating.
But beyond the physical changes taking place, she said there is something bigger and far more important developing.
All along we’re building community, she said.
They now know their neighbors.
She also hopes to partner with other housing organizations and nonprofits to create a national best practices model.
And I think that there are more landlords out there that think like me.
When asked if she still dabbles in the game of Monopoly, Stagmeier said, Actually, I do.
The kids beat me!
She laughed and said it gives her hope that the next generation will take over her mission.
