ATLANTA – A trio of prominent African American business leaders has announced the formation of U.S. Diversity Group LLC, a real estate owner, development and management firm that is now offering investment opportunities through its hotel fund for the acquisition and management of properties. It is the first SEC-registered hotel investment fund owned by African Americans.
Led by CEO Dr. Velma Trayham, COO Toshia Posey and CFO Jacques Posey, U.S. Diversity Group is offering shares for as low as $500 apiece, removing a major barrier for African Americans and others to enter this lucrative and growing market.
“Less than 2% of hotel owners are Black, so we are proud to provide the opportunity for investors in any income level to gain access to hotel ownership. This offering will present a real partnership for change in the lodging industry that will generate more new construction projects, create jobs, allow investors the potential to achieve generational wealth with their families, and establish the next generation of hotels and hoteliers,” said Trayham, an award-winning entrepreneur, founder of multiple high-performing businesses, author and motivational speaker.
U.S. Diversity Group has a unique and progressive model that eliminates debt structure and offers strong cash flow. The group is employing the following strategies to maximize the return on investment for investors:
- Already approved by a major franchisor to develop new-construction, dual-brand hotels; the flagship property will be located in Orlando, Fla.
- Will also target brand-affiliated hotels with high cash-flowing assets and acquire distressed properties in growing metropolitan markets
- Implement value-add asset management through repositioning strategies and execution of successful fundraising
- Acquire nonperforming loan (NPL) pools at deep discounts to current hotel values
- Both accredited and non-accredited investors may apply
- Investor partners will get a 65% share of profit from the fund
“We’re providing unique opportunities for individuals, especially African Americans, to invest in hotel real estate. Whether your interests are personal, professional or philanthropic, we offer three investment options that allow you to create social impact through ownership. Using vertically integrated asset management, property management and creative services, we plan to turn our hotels into profit-generation centers for investors,” said Toshia Posey, who has served in the hospitality industry for over 25 years and is a realtor with a national brokerage firm.
“We truly believe this is an ideal moment to launch the first fund that gives African Americans the opportunity for hotel ownership. First, it’s an opportune time to develop the company’s assets and structure while the lodging industry heads toward a recovery. Second, the private equity real estate industry has experienced favorable market conditions amid increasing demand for exposure in recent years. And third, new legislation that enabled equity crowdfunding allows funds like ours to make strategic hotel industry investment possible for individuals from a variety of economic circumstances,” said Jacques Posey, who has served in the accounting and finance industry for over 25 years.
U.S. Diversity Group is a proud member of AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) and NABHOOD (National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers), while Trayham and the Poseys each have earned a Certificate in Hotel Ownership through AAHOA.
