Lalou Davies-Yemitan

Laolu Davies-Yemitan is principal of Five Woods Realty, a community development firm specializing in building workforce housing and urban in-fill single and multifamily housing for working and middle-class families. Laolu leads the firm’s implementation and execution of strategies to facilitate housing and comprehensive community development and liaises with lenders, investors, and partners in delivering measurable performance results for key stakeholders. As an extension of his work in housing and community development, Laolu has been an advocate for policies that promote affordable housing opportunity, workforce development, and economic mobility for young people and working-class families.

Laolu also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Houston-Downtown and University of Houston-Victoria where he teaches undergraduate courses in Entrepreneurship and Real Estate Finance. Laolu previously served in the public sector including working as Policy Advisor to a Houston City Council Member, and as Legislative Director for a member of the Texas House of Representatives.

Laolu holds the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation and is a member of various local and national organizations including the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations, Leadership Houston, Center for Houston’s Future, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). As a respected business and community leader, Laolu serves on the board of directors for Houston Housing Collaborative and the Texas Lyceum and serves on the University of Houston-Downtown president’s council.

Laolu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance both from the University of Houston-Downtown.

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