With a rich history and a reputation for quality, Genesis Properties has been delivering for investors and tenants for generations.

Genesis Properties is a vertically integrated real estate firm focused on the development and management of affordable and conventional market-rate multifamily housing across Virginia. Founded in 1977 by Ron Hunt, whose visionary leadership laid the foundation for our success, Genesis has remained committed to fostering vibrant communities for our residents and delivering exceptional value to our partners.

In 2023, Ed Solarz acquired Genesis Properties with a commitment to the company’s legacy. Together, we continue to take a comprehensive approach to real estate, leveraging in-depth market knowledge and strong relationships with local stakeholders to ensure every project contributes to the long-term success and vitality of our community.

Our vertically integrated, streamlined structure allows us to control almost every aspect of the real estate development cycle—from initial planning to property management and asset optimization, which enhances our ability to maintain high-quality standards and provide unparalleled service to our clients and residents.

Our local expertise combined with almost 50 years of proven experience has solidified Genesis Properties as a cornerstone in Richmond’s real estate landscape.

Guided by our core values, our mission is to manage and develop real estate for the benefit of the resident, employee, and investor in an environment based on trust, excellence, integrity, and teamwork.

2.9M+

Square Feet Developed

$430M

Invested in Development

48+

Years of Experience

Our Leadership Team

Our team is steadfast in our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our investors, creating high-quality homes for residents, cultivating a collaborative company culture, and driving positive, lasting impact in the communities that we serve.

Ed Solarz, Chief Executive Officer

Ed primarily enjoys focusing on Acquisitions and Development at Genesis, where he and his team focus on new construction, acquisition/rehab, and adaptive reuse developments of multifamily assets in Central Virginia. Ed is actively involved with the Richmond Chapter of the Urban Land Institute, the Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate (GRACRE), Rebuilding Together of Richmond, and serves on the board of the Children’s Home Society of Virginia. Ed graduated with a BA from the University of Richmond in 2005, and an MBA with a finance concentration from the University of Richmond in 2013. He and his wife, Gretchen, live in the City of Richmond.
Laura Hopson, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Laura Hopson is an Accounting graduate from James Madison University. Following a successful internship, she worked in public accounting at Dixon Hughes Goodman (DHG, now ForvisMazars) for 5 years.
During her time at DHG she worked with various types of businesses and industries but gravitated towards a specialization in Real Estate work with an emphasis on properties with more complex compliance needs such as VHDA, HUD and tax credit programs. This complex compliance specialization led her to Genesis Properties where she has served in her role of CFO since May 2014.
Melissa Meloni, Dir. of Property Management

Melissa is responsible for overseeing business operations for the property management portion of Genesis Properties, Inc.
She brings extensive property management experience and a deep passion for operating efficiencies and employee development.
Since beginning her career as a leasing consultant in 1997, Melissa has served in a variety of roles including Assistant Manager, Property Manager, Sr. Property Manager and Regional Property Manager.
Prior to joining Genesis, Melissa was a Regional Property Manager with Greystar for over 10 years, and oversaw a portfolio up to 2,700 units and 40,000 square feet of retail. Before Greystar, Melissa worked with Metric Property Management and HSC Real Estate, Inc. in Seattle, WA.
Her background includes garden-style, mixed-use, mid-rise and high-rise assets, with experience managing substantial renovations, lease-ups and stabilized properties.
Melissa has Tax Credit Specialist (TCS) credentials and holds a certified property manager (CPM®) designation.
Jessica Stevenson, Dir. of Development

Jessica Stevenson manages the development pipeline for Genesis Properties, guiding projects from pre-development through stabilization. With experience in modeling development projections, conducting market analysis through comparative data, preparing offering memorandums, and identifying funding sources, Jessica ensures a seamless and efficient process.
During construction, she oversees communication with general contractors, architects, and financial partners, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget. Once a project reaches stabilization, Jessica handles post-construction requirements for permanent loan conversions.
At Genesis Properties, Jessica has been integral to both new-construction and rehabilitation development projects. She finds the transformation of rehabbed units into beautiful new homes for families to be the most rewarding part of her work.
Prior to joining Genesis Properties Jessica gained valuable experience as a real estate analyst, honing her skills and expertise in the field.
Brandon Scott, Regional Property Manager

Brandon is responsible for a portfolio of properties in the greater Richmond area.
Over the past ten years, he has gained experience in all phases of multifamily operations and has worked in a variety of on-site administrative positions and has been responsible for a mixed portfolio of Class, A, B, and C assets. Brandon has extensive experience with LIHTC, Conventional, Tax Bonds, and Student Housing programs. He has a proven track record of managing a diverse portfolio of properties for other Richmond-based property management companies, and re-joined Genesis Properties in 2021.
Brandon studied Business management at Virginia Commonwealth University. He participates in continuing education programs through Virginia Housing, CAHEC, VAMA, and AJ Johnson, and holds multiple educational certifications. Brandon is also an active member of the Virginia Apartment Management Association.

Work With Us

Our Partners

Collaboration with our investment partners elevates everything that we do. Their expertise and shared vision empowers us to reach new heights, together.