Isreal is a housing advocate and civic engineer passionate about leveraging innovation to drive social impact. Isreal is currently the Managing Partner at Kọ Ventures which recently opened its first location, Kọ Cafe in Jersey City. Isreal also leads equity initiatives at Nestment, a real estate co-buying platform enabling friends and families to buy real estate together.

Prior to Kọ Ventures, Isreal served as a Senior Associate at Better, a mortgage startup positioned to revolutionize access to homeownership by offering a digital-first suite of financial services. Isreal also served as the Acting Director and managing analyst for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) in New York City. In this role, he leads strategy and analytics for the Conversions team responsible for facilitating permanent loan financing for affordable housing developments totaling over $600 Million in total development cost. Isreal started his career in NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement leading initiatives to direct public resources towards constituents who need them.


A Jamaican born, Nigerian and child of the Boogie Down Bronx, Isreal is a graduate of City College’s Colin Powell School for Civic and Global leadership where he studied Political Science and Economics and received his Master’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Binghamton University. He also supports the music ministry at The Grace of God Ministries in Bronx/Yonkers.