Addressing Demand and Affordability: Construction and Design Strategies

Exploring Strategies to Lower Costs, Accelerate Timelines, Streamline Delivery, and Deliver Higher-Quality Units

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  Rose Olson

  As Senior Vice President of Development for Related California Affordable, Ms. Olson leads and manages all aspects of development and financing for Related's affordable residential developments. Prior to joining Related, Ms. Olson was Vice President of Development & Construction for Gablecraft Homes where she oversaw all development and construction activity in Western Canada for a pipeline of more than 1,000 condominium and single-family units. As Director of Housing & Real Estate Development for West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, Ms. Olson managed all aspects of affordable housing development, including the acquisition, entitlement and financing of senior, family and special needs housing. In the first phase of her career, Ms. Olson worked as an architect in Boston, Massachusetts on historic, adaptive-reuse and institutional projects. Ms. Olson holds a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Architecture from McGill University in Montreal. She is a licensed architect in California and Massachusetts, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certified, a LEED Accredited Professional (Building Design and Construction), and an active member of the Urban Land Institute.

  Related California Affordable

  SVP, Development

  Rose Olson

  SVP, Development

  Related California Affordable

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  Welton Jordan

  As the Chief Real Estate Development Officer (CREDO) / Assistant Secretary at EAH Housing, Mr. Jordan is responsible for all real estate development activities including, business development, real estate acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction activities in California and Hawai`i. He presides over a current active pipeline of 60 deals totaling nearly $2 billion while leading a team of more than 25 development professionals, including several newly created positions such as director of development and director of portfolio finance and policy. Mr. Jordan has been with EAH Housing since 2013 and is the first person to be appointed to the CREDO position in EAH Housing’s 50+ year history. Under his leadership, he has increased overall visibility of EAH within the industry, grew and spearheaded a reimagination of the real estate development department, and has expanded the organization’s footprint into Sacramento, Southern California and the Central Coast. He has more than 15 years of experience in real estate development, construction and finance for new construction and rehabilitation of a variety of multifamily developments. He has worked with many private and public funding sources to build affordable/family, market rate, mixed income, mixed use, workforce and permanent supportive housing. Prior to joining EAH Housing, Mr. Jordan was a Development Project Specialist for the Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno (HACCF). Originally from Portland, Oregon, Mr. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Finance from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and earned a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He has worked in public and private sector housing finance throughout California and received certification as a Housing Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council.

  EAH housing

  Chief Real Estate Development Officer

  Welton Jordan

  Chief Real Estate Development Officer

  EAH housing

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  Kim Piechota

  Kim Piechota is the Director of Housing Development for Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC). In this role, she oversees the production of housing for CCDC, works with the Board of Directors and senior management team, and represents CCDC in housing coalitions and in local and state housing policy discussions. In previous roles at CCDC over the past 13 years, Kim served as the Associate Director of Housing Development and as a Project Manager. She has over 20 years of experience in the affordable housing industry, working in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area for nonprofit organizations, and on a national level through a program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Ms. Piechota obtained a Master of Urban Planning degree from UC Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavioral Sciences / Community Development from UC Davis.

  Chinatown Community Development Center

  Director of Housing Development

  Kim Piechota

  Director of Housing Development

  Chinatown Community Development Center

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  John Sheehan

  John Sheehan, FAIA is a Principal and Partner at Studio E Architects in San Diego, California. Mr. Sheehan has led the design effort on many of the firm’s award-winning affordable housing projects including The Orchard at Hilltop and ShoreLINE in San Diego and Renascent Place in San Jose. His strong interest in multi-unit housing began while pursuing a graduate degree in London. John finds great satisfaction in making the everyday seem extraordinary and in providing exceptional living environments for people of modest means. Presently he is engaged in multiple affordable and workforce housing projects across San Diego County and in the Bay Area. Mr. Sheehan is a licensed architect in the State of California and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1984 and holds a Graduate Design Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, England. Working closely with his partners Eric Naslund, Maxine Ward, Mathilda Bialk and Charity Dunphy, John has helped shape Studio E’s optimistic, people-oriented approach and its reputation for smart, community-based design.

  Studio E Architects

  Partner

  John Sheehan

  Partner

  Studio E Architects

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  Ravi Bhagavatula

  Mr. Ravi Bhagavatula serves as a Partner and Head of the Lower Middle Market at Innovatus Capital Partners, where he leverages his extensive manufacturing leadership experience as both a board member and strategic investor for Guerdon. His comprehensive financial governance and strategic oversight approach has established a robust foundation for the organization's continued growth and operational excellence. As an accomplished Industrial Engineer, Mr. Bhagavatula has a sophisticated understanding of advanced manufacturing methodologies and deep knowledge of the construction industry. This distinctive combination of expertise enables him to address the specialized challenges inherent in factory-built structures with remarkable effectiveness and precision. His analytical capabilities are further enhanced by his dual professional credentials—the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Management Accountant designations

  Guerdon

  Principal

  Ravi Bhagavatula

  Principal

  Guerdon

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  Carolyn Lee

  Carolyn J. Lee is a partner in Lubin Olson’s Real Estate, Land Use, and Affordable Housing service groups. She specializes in affordable housing transactions, commercial real estate transactions, and entitlements. Ms. Lee represents clients in a broad range of matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, financing, entity formation, development, title and real estate due diligence, land use, and environmental matters. She also has significant experience representing clients in the acquisition, financing, and development of affordable housing projects using tax-exempt bonds and low-income housing tax credit financing, as well as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s financing and subsidy programs. In her land use practice, Ms. Lee represents developers, institutions, and other property owners in obtaining entitlements and permits for the use of their property. She advises her clients on the preparation of environmental review documents under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the preparation of entitlement documents under Planning and Zoning Law, the Housing Accountability Act, the Subdivision Map Act, general plans, specific plans, and local planning codes and zoning ordinances. She has represented clients with complex development projects throughout the Bay Area and Northern California, which involve entitling large multifamily residential projects and mixed-use office, commercial, and residential projects. Ms. Lee is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, the Emerging Leaders Peer Network (ELPN) of the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, and the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition. Recently, Ms. Lee was honored by Thomson Reuters as a Northern California Super Lawyer “Rising Star” for 2021, 2022, and 2023. Ms. Lee was also included in the 2023 edition and 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for her work in Real Estate Law.

  Lubin Olson

  Partner

  Moderator

  Carolyn Lee

  Partner

  Lubin Olson

The Power of Partnerships: Driving Housing and Community Development

Cross-Sector Collaboration to Address Housing Needs, Funding Strategies, and Foster Community Growth

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  Jennifer Dolin

  Ms. Dolin brings considerable experience in nonprofit housing, having served more than 20 years at Mercy Housing California as Senior Housing Developer (2001-2013) and then as Regional VP of Operations (2013-2021). With expertise spanning strategic planning, asset and property management, resident services, community engagement, and advocacy, Ms. Dolin is especially qualified to lead TNDC into its next chapter. Her extensive background in the affordable housing industry is complemented by active membership on nonprofit and for-profit boards, where she honed her governance, fundraising, and strategic planning expertise. As the principal of JENDolin Consulting, Ms. Dolin has worked with housing providers across the country including Midpen Housing, Napa Valley Community Housing, CCH, Abode Communities, and Community Roots Housing.

  Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation

  CEO

  Jennifer Dolin

  CEO

  Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation

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  Ken McMackin

  Ken serves as the Executive Vice President of Investments at Avanath. In this role, he oversees the firm's acquisition, disposition, and asset management activities. Prior to his current role, Ken served in various other departments within Avanath, including Portfolio Management, Asset Management, and Financial Planning & Analysis. Before joining Avanath, Ken worked at Healthpeak Properties, a publicly traded healthcare REIT, where he was part of the Senior Housing Finance group. Prior to Healthpeak Properties, Ken worked at Deloitte in their Real Estate Consulting practice. Ken earned his MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and holds a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from California State University, Long Beach.

  Avanath Capital Management

  EVP

  Ken McMackin

  EVP

  Avanath Capital Management

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  Erik Solivan

  Director of Housing

  City of San Jose

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  Sam Moss

  I am originally from Fresno, then went to Pennsylvania and played D1 baseball at Bucknell University from 2000-2004. My wife and I met while living in Baltimore, then we moved to San Francisco in 2008. Ever since graduating college, I’ve been involved in real estate in one way or another. Before joining Mission Housing, I managed real estate assets for union pension funds and various union locals throughout Northern California. I started with Mission Housing in December 2011 as an Asset Manager, then Director of Asset Management and became Executive Director in September 2013. I oversee the administration of all Mission Housing assets, programs, and services. I also make sure that each and every day our mission, and the short and long-term vision for Mission Housing are achieved. Every day is different! I am often in meetings at City Hall and throughout various San Francisco communities pushing for more support of the Affordable Housing industry. On other days, my time at Mission Housing might be spent with issues like human resources, operations, budgets or board meetings. Working in Affordable Housing is very rewarding, and I’m very thankful for finding Mission Housing. The most satisfying part of my job is watching our employees represent Mission Housing in the community, interacting with and supporting our residents and our neighbors in the Mission. Since 2012, our staff has grown from eight people to 25 people! Seeing how we can make change for the better is very gratifying. I love working on behalf of the current and future residents of the Mission. The people before me who paved the way for Mission Housing sacrificed a great deal. I’m reminded of their hard work whenever I look at one of our 35 buildings, or meet one of our residents. My wife and I enjoy seeing live music and going to Giants games. I’m also happy to play pool at my local bar and not do much else. San Francisco is such an amazing city, I’m lucky to be able to simply hang out in North Beach or the Mission all weekend, enjoying an awesome burrito!

  Mission Housing Development Corporation

  Executive Director

  Sam Moss

  Executive Director

  Mission Housing Development Corporation

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  Patrick Otellini

  National Affordable Housing Director

  Swinerton

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  Tony Mirenda

  Tony Mirenda, a seasoned Construction Executive with over 42 years of experience in the Bay Area, has been instrumental in leading and growing businesses across multiple market sectors, including mixed-use, multifamily residential, affordable housing, and education. His leadership has resulted in the successful completion of numerous high-profile affordable housing/mixed-use projects such as the Gateway to Millbrae Station (Millbrae BART), College Terrace Centre (Palo Alto), and Casa del Pueblo (San Jose). Mirenda’s extensive expertise spans all phases of contract delivery, and he has been a key player in public education construction for over 27 years. Throughout his career, Tony has built a robust network of relationships, serving on various industry and nonprofit boards, including chairing the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. With a passion for mentoring, Tony has dedicated 15 years to designing and building stage sets for his alma mater’s drama program and is deeply involved in community service, including youth coaching. Recently, Tony joined Kitchell CEM as Executive Director South Bay where he continues to drive innovation and growth.

  Kitchell

  Executive Director

  Moderator

  Tony Mirenda

  Executive Director

  Kitchell

Opening Remarks

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  Laurence (Lad) Dawson

  Lad Dawson, a pioneer in the modular industry, founded Guerdon Enterprises, LLC in 2001 with a vision to be the leading builder of multi-story and multi-family buildings and commercial and single-family homes in the Western U.S. and Canada. With 35 years of experience and a successful track record as a housing entrepreneur, he set numerous production and design standards that continue to shape the industry today. After a successful career at Guerdon, Lad retired from daily operations. However, his commitment to the company's growth and the Modular Industry remained unwavering. When Innovotus Capital Partners acquired the company in 2020, they invited Lad to return as a minority investor and board member. He also took on the role of Director for strategic partnership projects. Despite his semi-retired status, Lad actively supports the Guerdon team, leveraging his years of experience to ensure the company continues to serve our clients at the highest level.

  Guerdon

  Founder

  Laurence (Lad) Dawson

  Founder

  Guerdon