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Unlock land and housing for vulnerable families

Investors are making land accessible for families — so people can secure housing and move out of poverty.

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Measurable social impact, risk-adjusted returns

Currently, more than 1.6 billion people live without adequate housing. We’re in a global housing crisis — and it’s keeping millions of families, especially women and kids, from reaching their full potential.  

We're on a mission to change this story by pioneering market-based solutions for those who need them most. 

Your impact investment will unlock land, housing, and generational wealth for thousands of people.

A mother and four of her children pose in the doorway of their New Story home.

Our Investment Focus: Land

Land ownership is fundamental for families to secure life-changing housing and build generational wealth to move beyond poverty.

Despite 2.2 million Mexican families wanting to buy land, no comparable impact organization, investment vehicle, or real estate developer focuses on this demographic. Our strategy aims to unlock formal land tenure for more than 20,000 families over the next five years, securing their pathway to housing and out of poverty.

We invest in land because it’s the pivotal first step to affordable, safe housing. It also leads to multidimensional benefits, which can be seen in how our solutions directly address four of The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

SDG 1
Reducing poverty

Upon completing the savings program, participants receive a formal title to a developed land lot, the foundation for secure and adequate housing.

SDG 5
Creating gender equality

Only 16% of landowners in Mexico are women. Women’s economic empowerment has been proven to drive overall economic growth. We aim for an average of 60% women participation across our portfolio.

SDG 8
Unlocking financial inclusion

Only 26% of Mexican adults have access to formal housing finance. Purchasing land builds credit history and collateral for families to access affordable loans.

SDG 10
Generating wealth

Our program makes first-time land ownership possible for families who don’t own property. In our pilot project, families’ land had a 2x increase in value in two years.

How we work

Subsidies can only address 1% of the housing demand — so we don’t depend on them. We’re creating repeatable business models that have the potential to impact millions. 

Land development

We partner with local governments and invest with local developers to develop land with municipal utilities, including roads, water, sewage, and electricity.

Every project passes our rigorous process which ensures the land is in a safe, desirable area, excellent for housing, and fits thoughtfully into the local urban context.

Savings and financing

Families enter a savings program to pay for their land. At any time, families can exit and receive every penny of their savings.

This is achieved through a waitlist system. These payments allow families to build their credit history, which can be used for future financing needs.

Ownership and housing

After ~24 months, families receive their land lot title, making them the legal lot owners.

Families can now use their land as collateral when accessing affordable home construction financing. Some families choose to build their dream homes immediately, some need time to save up, and others need affordable financing, which we help facilitate.

Aerial image of a New Story community.

Let’s get started

Contact Our Team

A Case Study: Empowering Women in Mexico

In Etzatlán, Mexico, we helped 941 low-income families become first-time landowners. Women make up 60% of these households, which is 32% higher than the national average. When women own property, they increase their physical and financial security.

A woman smiles, sitting outside her New Story home.

Maximizing impact while minimizing risk

Land ownership is fundamental for families to secure a life-changing home and build generational wealth to advance out of poverty.

Life-changing impact at scale

Our strategy aims to unlock formal land tenure for more than 20,000 families over the next five years. Land tenure has been proven to provide a path out of poverty and a foundation for wealth generation, gender equality, and collateral to unlock housing finance.

Mitigated investment risk

We anticipate a <1% default across the portfolio due to strong risk mitigation mechanisms, such as investing only in high-demand regions, using a robust waitlist system, and hedging currency. Our pilot project of nearly 1,000 lots saw 100% payment.

Untapped $9B market + strong pipeline

Significant market gap — only 0.2% of demand was met last year — and no focus on low-income demographic due to perceived risk. Our team has already identified 20 potential investments totaling 8,000 land lots with evidence of strong demand.

Experienced team and unmatched network

New Story is one of the only impact organizations on Mexico’s National Housing Council. Our Mexico-based investment team has deep relationships with INFONAVIT, the national housing fund, for unmatched access to relationships and deal flow.

A note to investors

Make an impact and grow your capital

Enrique Mezo
Impact Investment Director

Hey — I’m Enrique, New Story's senior impact investment director. Over the past few years, I’ve seen more people struggle with the same question: How do I make a substantial difference with my money and grow it?

It seems like you have to choose one or the other. You can give your money to a cause, knowing it’s gone in the blink of an eye. Or you can invest your money in high-profit companies focused on low-impact problems. There has to be a better way.

I work to help your investments make an impact and grow your capital. Unfortunately, housing has been overlooked by key stakeholders in Latin America. We have the opportunity to design and execute investment strategies that will not only create value for investors like you but will also empower families through land and homeownership. Together, we can invest in impact.

Contact us

Our investment team

Meet the team behind impact investing at New Story

Brett Hagler

Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder

Claudia Acuña

Senior Director of Impact

Enrique Mezo

Senior Director of Investments

Hewsan Pang

Director of Fund Strategy

Jose (Pepe) Shabot

CEO

ION

Juan Carlos Balcazar Dot

Investment Associate

Contact us about impact investing

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We can’t do it without you

Here are three more ways to get involved.

Fund a project

Donate to a housing project and impact families.

Fund a project

Fund our team

Join our Builder community, radically generous people who fund our operating expenses.

Join The Builders

Partnerships

Become a corporate or brand partner to make a difference together.

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Innovation in action

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An Impact Report for Q1 2024

Your support helps us pioneer solutions that empower families to become land and homeowners in thriving communities. Thank you.

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The Gateway to Affordable Housing: Land Ownership

Land ownership provides families with the credit profile and collateralization they need to participate in the housing market and buy the housing they want.

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Our Strategy is Evolving, but Our Mission Isn’t

Donors like you helped us bring safe housing to more than 15,000 people in our first eight years.

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