Ramsey County is delivering : The story of an Emerging Developer
Kali Terry is the first emerging developer to develop over 25 units of housing since the onset of the 2023 Inaugural Emerging Diverse Developers Program. With support from Ramsey County amd other funding sources, Terry is transforming his second chance into a powerful story of entrepreneurship and community impact.
The Saint Paul resident, once incarcerated, is now a business owner and emerging housing developer.
Terry was a participant in the inaugural 2023 cohort of the county's Emerging and Diverse Developers (EDD) Program, a county initiative designed to support individuals interested in affordable housing and community development. In partnership with NEOO Partners Inc., the program offers technical assistance, education and access to development opportunities for residents looking to enter the field.
Through the program, Terry applied for and received funding to purchase and renovate a 100-year-old mixed-use building located on Grotto Street in Saint Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. The building, a triplex situated along a key transit corridor, is being transformed into safe, affordable housing through his development firm, New Verticals LLC.
“The EDD Program has provided the resources and support to help me build the capacity needed to complete larger preservation projects as an emerging developer,” Terry said.
In addition to his development work, Terry is the owner of Life Juices, a cold-pressed juice and health-focused restaurant near the intersection of University and Lexington Avenues in Saint Paul.
Terry, who completed the EDD program in 2025, represents exactly the type of community-based impact Ramsey County aimed to foster through the initiative.
“Ramsey County was very purposeful in removing barriers and creating pathways for Black and Indigenous developers to access wealth through equity and ownership,” Terry said. “I am truly grateful to the authors and administrators of this groundbreaking program.”
Drawing on his skills as a carpenter, Terry is not only restoring a century-old structure, he is helping redefine what community investment can look like when opportunity meets determination.
Terry started off with one housing project but due to his determination, he has managed to developed himself out of the term emerging developer as he now has over 25 units of housing.
To learn more about the Emerging and Diverse Developers Program, visit the EDD webpage.