Today

Urban Revitalizers is a minority and women-owned urban planning consultancy and real estate development firm, based in the City of Boston. Partnering with public and private sector clients, our work improves the quality of life in post-industrial cities, large and small. We provide a variety of planning and real estate development services including construction management, property management, business development for minority builders, neighborhood economic development and spatial data analysis using geographic information systems.

Construction Management

Rouse and Hoyt Urban Revitalizers offers on-site supervision of construction activities in accordance with approved project documents and construction industry standards, while ensuring that projects are completed in compliance with federal, state, and local statutes and standards. We evaluate worker performance using surveillance, audits, and random inspections and assist with invoicing for projects.

Property Management

Urban Revitalizers provides property management services including leasing, rent collection, inspection of residential properties, supervision of maintenance activities, and unit turnaround. We believe that the proper management of affordable rental housing not only benefits families but also has a positive impact on urban neighborhoods.

Business Development for Minority Builders

Urban Revitalizers works with small, minority-owned contractors to assist them with building their businesses and revitalizing urban areas through the provision of project acquisition and management services.

Neighborhood Economic Development

Urban Revitalizers recognizes the value of contemporary development tools that aid in the revitalization process and assists agencies andorganizations with the implementation of business improvement districts for commercial areas and individual development accounts for residential neighborhoods.

Spatial Data Analysis and Modeling

Urban Revitalizers believes that new technologies, especially geographic information systems, are important tools for analyzing urban problems, making sound development decisions, and articulating urbanstrategies to stakeholders. We have a long track record of assisting agencies and organizations with an interest in using spatial technologies for a range of purposes.

When Cynthia Rouse, Co-founder and Managing General Partner, purchased her first residential investment property in 1992 her goal was to provide affordable housing to low-income families living in urban areas. In 1998, Cynthia and Lorlene Hoyt, Co-founder and General Partner, launched Rouse and Hoyt Urban Revitalizers and by 1999, they had renovated seven homes and were offering affordable housing in what is fondly known as Southwest Philly. In 2001, Cynthia and Lorlene expanded the firm's scope by delivering urban planning consulting services to private companies, institutions of higher education and citizen groups. Rouse and Hoyt Urban Revitalizers relocated to the City of Boston in 2002, when Lorlene accepted an academic position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The same year, Lorlene and Cynthia extended their urban planning consulting services to local governments and federal agencies. Today, the firm owns and manages affordable rental housing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brockton, Massachusetts and provides a range of urban planning services including construction management, property management, business development for minority builders, neighborhood economic development and spatial data analysis.