ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — For Adenah Bayoh, the long journey to real estate philanthropy began when she fled civil war in Liberia at the age of 13, leaving behind the only home she'd ever known.
With heartbreak in her past – but hope in her future – Bayoh arrived in the United States carrying no luggage or money: only the unshakable belief that her life wouldn't be defined by her worst moment.
As she recalls on her professional website, it was a philosophy instilled by her grandmother, a hardworking woman who ran a small restaurant in Liberia.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree, as it turned out.
Bayoh eventually became the proud owner of nine restaurants across New Jersey and New York, including three IHOP franchises – becoming one of the youngest IHOP owners in the nation at the age of 27.
Bayoh continued to expand as a culinary entrepreneur, guided by her mission to make her community a better place to live. In 2017, she co-founded Cornbread, a fast-casual, farm-to-table soul food concept created to honor the traditions that shaped her. Four years later, she launched Brick City Vegan, a plant-based concept built for communities that are often excluded from the health and wellness conversation.
It wasn't long before Bayoh started to build on this success – literally.
Taking up a newfound mantle as a real estate developer, Bayoh refocused her efforts from feeding her neighbors to giving them an affordable place to live.
In 2018, she spearheaded the transformation of the vacant and neglected Irvington General Hospital site into a mixed-income apartment complex. In what would become a signature addition to her projects, the complex was almost completely composed of affordable housing – 88 out of 114 units – with six apartments set aside for residents with developmental disabilities.
In 2023, Bayoh cut the ribbon on 722 Chancellor, a 56-unit affordable apartment community in Irvington with several units reserved for residents with special needs.
It's been a quest that has caught the eye of advocacy groups like New Jersey Future, which honored Bayoh with a "Leadership Award" for urban revitalization last year.
Along the way, the ambitious entrepreneur has propped open a door for others to follow in her footsteps.
Three years ago, Bayoh made history as the first Black woman in the state to secure a 9 percent affordable housing credit from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. The funding helped to bring affordable housing to Newark's South Ward, turning an underutilized parcel near the corner of Springfield Avenue into homes for 40 families with low incomes.
"Affordable housing finance in New Jersey has a blind spot when it comes to race and gender," said Bayoh, who grew up living in public housing and attended public schools in New Jersey's largest city.
"It is my hope that by receiving this tax credit, I can inspire other women and girls to enter this sector and change the lives of families across the country," Bayoh said. "The affordable housing crisis isn't just a New Jersey issue, it's an American issue."
Another hallmark of Bayoh's projects has been high-speed internet, which was made available to residents at Southside View in Newark through a partnership with Citizens Bank and Newark Fiber.
"Access to the internet is no longer a luxury: it's a lifeline to education, health care and economic mobility," Bayoh said.
This philosophy will also be on display at Springfield Gateway in Irvington, Bayoh's latest real estate venture. When construction is finished, the housing complex will include a community center, apartments with modern appliances and high-speed internet, and an on-site hydroponic farm that will grow fresh veggies for residents.
The kicker? It will also be entirely composed of affordable housing – bringing new life to an area where 10 vacant lots once stood.
At a groundbreaking ceremony held earlier this week, the moment hit home emotionally for Bayoh.
"I know what it means to start over," she said, alluding to her experience immigrating from Liberia.
"I know what it means to have dreams bigger than your circumstances, and I know how much having a safe place to call home can change someone's life," Bayoh said. "That is why this work is so personal to me."
"When I look at these 10 vacant lots, I don't just see land or another development," she continued. "I see the mother who will finally be able to put her children to bed without worrying about where they will sleep next month. I see a family gathering around their dinner table, creating memories in a place they can truly call their own. I see someone who has experienced homelessness finally receiving the keys to a home of their own."
"Our families deserve beautiful, safe, affordable homes," said Bayoh, adding that communities like Irvington have been overlooked by developers for far too long.
"We are not simply building 48 apartments," she insisted. "We are creating 48 opportunities for a new beginning. And to me, there is no greater purpose than that."
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