Humberto “H.L.” Lopes was raised in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and lost his father at just nine years old. As a result, he grew up fast, navigating low income and responsibility at a young age. What could have been a setback became his drive.

With grit, hustle, and an eye for opportunity, H.L. started small—renovating and managing properties one by one. Starting his construction company, H.L. General Contractor's, Inc. at just 18 years old. H.L. was one of the first developers to invest in Red Hook when no one else had the foresight, nor the courage, to see how great the neighborhood could be. Over four decades later, that determination has grown into H.L. Dynasty, a privately-held construction, investment, development, and management platform with over 1.2 million square feet in Real Estate Investment across New York and South Florida. His portfolio consists of residential, commercial, and industrial properties, which is a rare feat to have.

Due to H.L.’s resilience and innovation, he is now the second largest developer in Red Hook and is one of the main reasons Red Hook is the prosperous neighborhood it is today! More recently, HL has decided to take his experience into politics with the creation of his new landlord organization “Gotham Housing Alliance”. His focus is to have a seat at the table where anti-landlord policy is being made.

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