Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Brown
Hi Mario, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
As a graduate of Leadership Greenville, I believe in the power of aligning personal skills with the needs of our community. In 2016, I co-founded Affordable Upstate, a real estate investment firm with a mission to redevelop energy-efficient, multifamily apartment units. What began as a portfolio of 63 units has grown into a thriving operation managing over 1,450 affordable housing units across the Upstate.
Since 2017, Affordable Upstate has deployed more than $50 million in investor equity into socially responsible and environmentally conscious workforce housing. By connecting business expertise with a passion for community impact, affordable housing provides an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. It’s work that fuels both the heart and the mind, creating a lasting, positive impact for residents and the communities we serve.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Affordable Housing is a very tough space to operate in, it’s full of challenges. Anytime you’re trying to really impact people it is messy. As our business has grown it also has been messy. I’d say the biggest challenges are those of self. As the leader, identifying my own strengths and weaknesses and ensuring that our company is partnering to my weaknesses and my gaps.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We revitalize and redefine naturally occurring affordable housing to meet local demands. With Affordable Upstate, residents get more modern, energy-efficient and affordable living options that are designed around enhancing the community as a whole. Affordable Upstate was founded in 2017 as a response to the growing need for affordable housing in Greenville County. The idea was born during the 43rd class of Leadership Greenville, a year-long program by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, where participants explored pressing community challenges, including the lack of affordable housing.
With a vision to make a meaningful impact, Affordable Upstate was established with a focus on providing affordable housing that surpasses typical market standards. The company’s foundation reflects a collaborative effort rooted in leadership, community insight, and a commitment to a people-centric approach to real estate investing. We revitalize apartment complexes that have declined due to indifference by creating local partnerships with investors, lenders, non-profits, contractors, brokers and vendors that share our vision for building strong, healthy and sustainable communities.
Our disciplined, collaborative approach to real estate investing focuses on acquiring and revitalizing multifamily properties that will maximize our investors’ returns and improve tenants’ quality of life without pricing them out of their homes. We infuse each property with a unique personality and meaningful purpose with a goal of stabilizing communities in the Upstate and throughout the southeast. Today, Affordable Upstate owns nearly 1,500 units and is actively pursuing new projects throughout the Southeast.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Playing football would be my favorite childhood memory. Football gave me a tribe, it taught me how to lead, and to be accountable to my teammates. Practices and game days with my buddies were some of the fondest memories of my childhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.affordableupstate.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/affordableupstate/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AffordableUpstate/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-e-brown-42a26245/
- Twitter: https://x.com/marioEbrown
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarioBrownCRE
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Affordable+Upstate/@34.8486504,-82.4023499,16z/
- Other: https://www.noahpm.com/
