A diverse resume led Gregory Davis to a career in affordable housing

Driven by his devotion to examine and solve complex challenges, Gregory Davis, co-founder of One 5 Olive, transitioned to a career in affordable housing five years ago at the urging of his brother, David Griggs, a seasoned real estate agent and entrepreneur.  

Prior to One 5 Olive, Davis had a unique career history. He graduated with a political science degree, produced issue-based multimedia content including films, conducted legal research, worked as a controller, then aspired to a career in real estate and changed direction with the launch of One 5 Olive in May 2016. 

Growing up in the city, Davis saw the effects that unstable housing had on families. 

“The core issue is an inability to pay rent year after year,” he said. Through his studies on how places and spaces affect community members, David concluded that “real estate was the chance to change the current reality for families to have a better chance at succeeding as a unit.” 

One 5 Olive recognizes the importance of community representation and local participation in the development process. 

“Not only should there be individuals that look and sound like the communities they are serving, but further collaboration between those outside our communities doing work,” he said. 

Davis also values getting youth educated and interested in the housing development field. He emphasized, “there's no reason why the next generation of kids can’t start learning how electrical currents work as they learn how computer code works.” 

In describing his vision for affordable housing, Davis offered a future news headline he’d like to see: “From Plumber to Politician, the growth of Wisconsin housing development.”