Our Vision
We are building a model for affordable housing that is both sustainable and profitable. By aligning the interests of residents, investors, and communities, we’re creating housing that works — and that others can replicate. We believe our success will inspire a wave of next-generation developers who can help solve the affordable housing shortage across the country.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide below-market housing for residents and above-market returns for investors. We do this by controlling costs, aligning incentives, and operating with discipline — all while maintaining a commitment to quality and long-term affordability.
We began with a focus on eco-units — micro-studios that are smaller, more affordable, and more efficient than traditional apartments. Today, we’ve expanded into a full spectrum of affordable housing, including family-sized units, mixed-income developments, and deeply regulated housing — but the principles of sustainability, efficiency, and respect remain at the core of everything we do.
Our Values
Our residents are our partners.
We expect residents to contribute a fair share of their income, and we commit to providing safe, stable, and dignified housing in return. We cannot succeed without their success.
Our investors are our clients.
Investors have many options — we must continually earn their trust and deliver consistent results while advancing our social mission.
We follow the data.
Conventional wisdom can be misleading. We strive to make better decisions by seeing what others miss and grounding everything we do in facts, analysis, and measurement.
We pay it forward.
We were mentored, supported, and uplifted by those who came before us. We believe in paying that forward — mentoring others and contributing to the next generation of affordable housing leaders.
Diversity is our asset.
Our residents, employees, and communities are diverse. We succeed by listening, learning, and aligning with the people we serve. We hire inclusively and pay competitively.
Our Story
Great Expectations was founded in 2019 with a focus on eco-housing — compact, sustainable, and affordable micro-studios designed for the urban workforce. Our first properties offered high-quality living in walkable, transit-connected neighborhoods — all at price points well below the private market.
From that foundation, we’ve grown into a vertically integrated firm that develops, acquires, and manages housing across the Pacific Northwest. Today, we own 15 buildings with over 1,200 homes and manage a total of 42 properties through our subsidiary, Arboreal Management.
Our portfolio includes Opportunity Zone developments, Section 8 acquisitions, tax-exempt bond projects, and naturally affordable buildings.
What sets us apart is our ability to take on complexity — distressed buildings, unconventional funding structures, regulatory constraints — and deliver results. We operate with the mindset of long-term owners and the agility of a startup.
Our goal remains the same: to build housing that is affordable, dignified, and enduring — and to do it at scale.
Leadership Team
Benjamin Maritz
Founder & Managing Partner
Ben is the founder of Great Expectations and leads the firm’s strategy, capital formation, and policy engagement. Prior to founding the company, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, specializing in financial restructuring and large-scale transformation.
Alec Thomas
Head of Development
Alec leads all real estate development at Great Expectations, bringing 15+ years of experience in construction, design, and delivery.
Lindsey Spears
Vice President of Operations
Lindsey oversees property operations and asset management for both Great Expectations and Arboreal Management. She brings over 20 years of experience in multifamily property operations and asset oversight.
admin@grtexp.co
206.651.3956
