Mission

To shape places that celebrate and serve their communities.

The Civic Group is a purpose-driven real estate and investment firm reimagining urban infrastructure. We leverage innovative financing, design, and public-private partnerships to develop housing and community-focused spaces across all income levels—delivering strong risk-adjusted returns while tackling the housing crisis head-on.

We approach every step of the development process with an open mind, from how a space is designed to how a deal is structured. Most importantly, we work in lockstep with the community to make sure each project reflects its needs and values.

Once the vision is set, we carry the project through from conception to completion to ensure that what is built is an asset to the community and profitable to investors. Such a broad undertaking often requires innovating new ways forward to get things done—it’s our favorite part of the process.

Civic Group was founded in 2017 by Chris Mfume as CLD Partners. Over the past decade Civic’s principals have executed on transactions representing over $600M and 1 million square feet of real estate.

Public-Minded Development

We believe the profession of development is by definition a public task and therefore should show responsibility and accountability towards societal themes and public impact. That’s why in each project we design and engineer with public values in mind, whether we are working on urban plans, residential buildings, university buildings or museums.

At the heart of a development project is the community it serves. We must consider the users’ needs and preferences while maintaining the design’s integrity. Public spaces should be accessible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing, creating an inviting atmosphere for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Core Values

From deal to delivery, Civic champions these six core values, which guide our process.

Integrity

We approach every aspect of the development process with the highest of standards. That means following through on what we promise and always doing right by the people we serve, even when no one’s watching.

Execution

We have no tolerance for the status quo. Instead, we work to always exceed expectations, setting the bar even higher for each project to come.

Innovation

We view every challenge as an opportunity, which leads us to more creative solutions and is reflected in our portfolio’s diverse range of projects and executions.

Sustainability

For us, sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s the ruler we measure every decision by, whether rental rates or building materials.

Responsibility

When people are your purpose, it’s imperative that you make decisions that support their wellbeing. We act accordingly.

Entrepreneurship

Our nimble size allows us to be quick to pursue opportunities and support our partners, both public and private.

Services

We believe in the power of a dedicated group of people acting on behalf of the greater good. Here are a few of the ways we do it.

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Development

Acquisitions

Affordable Housing

Third-Party Development Services

Public-Private Partnerships

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Team

Our purpose is our people, and that includes the team that works day in and day out to deliver on behalf of our residents, clients, and partners.

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume founded The Civic Group, a purpose-driven real estate development and investment firm reimagining urban infrastructure. Civic leverages innovative financing, design, and public-private partnerships to develop housing and community-focused spaces across all income levels—delivering strong risk-adjusted returns while tackling the housing crisis head-on. As the managing partner of The Civic Group, Mr. Mfume is responsible for leading all development and investment activities and guiding the firm’s projects from inception to completion.

Prior to founding Civic, Mr. Mfume worked for Beatty Development Group, a real estate development firm focused on large-scale mixed-use projects where he completed over $600 million in real estate investment and development. Projects include Harbor Point, a $1.8B mixed-use project blending office, residential, retail, and hotel spaces with 9.5 acres of green space. He also was deeply involved in the creation of the $900M Perkins Somerset Oldtown (PSO) project, revamping 244 acres on Baltimore’s east side into over 1650 housing units, a hotel, and a new community school.

Mr. Mfume is committed to improving communities through the development of innovative and sustainable projects. He holds a B.A. from Wake Forest University and serves on the board of several non-profits and community initiatives, including serving as Chair of The Inclusionary Housing Board of Baltimore City, UMB Cure Scholars, The Baltimore Tree Trust, and The Baltimore Hotel Corporation. He is also a member of The Housing Association for Non-profit Developers (HAND), focused on the production and preservation of affordable housing in the Capitol Region, AAREP DC, and the Urban Land Institute.

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Careers

Interest in joining our team? We're always looking for talented people, especially for the current openings linked here.

No current openings at this time.
But we’re always open to talk with talented people.