Delivering Affordable Housing in OC

Unlocking Funding, Feasibility Solutions & Public-Private Collaboration

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  Rochelle Mills

  President and CEO, Rochelle Mills is responsible for IHO’s housing development, new project and program initiatives, business development relations, and oversees legislative, advocacy and policy interests as well as stakeholder relations. Ms. Mills brings a diverse background in architecture, design, construction administration, community planning, writing, and cultural tourism. She is immediate past President of the Southern California Association of NonProfit Housing (SCANPH), and serves on several public and nonprofit boards, services committees, and leader groups.

  Innovative Housing Opportunities

  President & CEO

  Rochelle Mills

  President & CEO

  Innovative Housing Opportunities

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  Michael Ruane

  Michael M. Ruane, National CORE’s President, leads the development of program and business strategies for the organization and is responsible for overseeing all operating departments. Previously, Mr. Ruane served in a variety of leadership positions in Orange County, including Chief of Strategy and Public Affairs of CalOptima, Executive Director of the Children and Families Commission, Assistant County Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Environmental Management Agency. Mr. Ruane is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, and earned a master’s degree from the UCLA Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Mr. Ruane is the Immediate Past Chair of the Orange County/Inland Empire District Council of the Urban Land Institute and is the Jury Chair for the 2016 HUD Innovation in Affordable Housing national design and planning competition.

  National CORE

  President

  Michael Ruane

  President

  National CORE

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  Raad Ghantous

  Raad Ghantous is a hospitality design visionary, creative strategist, and founder of Raad Ghantous & Associates, (RaadGhantous.com), a boutique firm known for transforming luxury environments into timeless experiences. With over two decades of global expertise spanning interior architecture, branded guest experiences, and high-end hospitality, F&B, Wellness, and residential projects, Raad brings a bold, narrative-driven approach to placemaking—where aesthetics, function, and emotional resonance meet. As the founder of The Raad Life, (TheRAADLife.com), a lifestyle platform and magazine, Raad leads conversations around reinvention, longevity, and generational culture. His voice is grounded in wisdom, edge, and unapologetic authenticity—traits that carry into every space he designs and every story he tells. Whether consulting for iconic hospitality brands or redefining what it means to age with style and purpose, Raad’s work stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation. Learn more at raadghantous.com and follow The Raad Life for curated content that inspires life beautifully lived.

  Raad Ghantous & Associates

  Founding Principal

  Raad Ghantous

  Founding Principal

  Raad Ghantous & Associates

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  Stephen Lee

  Steve Lee is a tax partner in Citrin Cooperman’s West Los Angeles office. He has over 27 years of professional tax experience in public accounting, providing tax consulting and compliance services to public and private real estate companies and private equity firms. Steve’s tax expertise includes partnership and corporate taxation. He serves and supports his clients through all phases of an entity’s lifecycle: structuring, acquisitions, operations, and dispositions. Steve has extensive experience with REITs, real estate funds, leveraged buyout funds, growth equity funds, special debt funds, and management companies. Prior to joining Citrin Cooperman, Steve spent 15 years with Ernst and Young’s Financial Services Real Estate tax practice, and over 7 years with PwC’s Financial Services Real Estate tax practice. During his time there, he was the engagement partner on 2 Fortune 500 Public REITs and several private REITs and real estate funds across multiple real estate sectors.

  Citrin Cooperman

  Partner

  Moderator

  Stephen Lee

  Partner

  Citrin Cooperman

The State of Orange County Multifamily

Trends, Threats & Tailwinds

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  James D'Argenio

  Principal, Acquisitions

  The Bascom Group

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  Cameron Jones

  Portfolio Manager, U.S. Cities Multifamily Strategy

  Nuveen

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  Tanner Eldredge

  Tanner brings 13 years of industry knowledge and experience, consulting real estate developers and owners nationwide with their risk management and insurance solutions. With a deep understanding of the CRE industry, he navigates complex challenges to deliver peace of mind to his clients.

  Lockton Companies

  VP

  Tanner Eldredge

  VP

  Lockton Companies

• Moderator

  Kate Phelps

  Principal

  CLA

Navigating Multifamily Development Throughout OC

Overcoming Entitlement Challenges, Managing Construction Costs, Securing New Financing & Successfully Launching New Projects

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  John Santry

  SVP, Development

  Ledcor Development

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  Stephen Logan

  SVP of Real Estate, Development & Asset Management

  Shopoff Realty Investments

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  Ioanna Magiati

  With more than a decade of experience, Ioanna leads multidisciplinary teams within AO’s Multifamily and Mixed-Use studios, specializing in market-rate, affordable, senior, and modular developments. She is a charismatic problem-solver with a passion for elevating the design vision of her clients and nurturing the success of her team. Ioanna is an avid researcher and lifelong learner valued for her strong project management and people skills, as well as her ability to foster trust and collaboration amongst developers, cities, designers, architects, and consultants. Ioanna is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and sits on the ARC Alumni Advisory Board for Cal Poly Pomona, and the Design Professional Council for the Modular Building Institute (MBI).

  AO

  Partner

  Ioanna Magiati

  Partner

  AO

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  Alex Toth

  Alex Toth is Vice President of Growth at Villa, a next-generation homebuilding platform that leverages offsite construction and technology to efficiently deliver much-needed housing. He leads revenue growth, sales, marketing, and partnerships for the company, which in 2024 became California’s largest retailer of manufactured homes on permanent foundations. Villa specializes in infill and “missing middle” housing and is a leading builder of detached ADUs. Prior to Villa, Alex spent a decade at Opendoor in leadership roles spanning business development and homebuilder partnerships, and helped grow the company from early-stage startup to a public real estate platform with over 270,000 transactions. He began his career in management roles at Anheuser-Busch InBev. Alex was named to Pro Builder’s “40 Under 40” list in 2022 and recognized by HousingWire as a 2024 Insider for his operational leadership. He holds a BSBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Washington University in St. Louis.

  Villa Homes

  VP

  Alex Toth

  VP

  Villa Homes

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  Bruce Fischer

  Bruce Fischer is the Chair of the West Coast Real Estate Practice and Co- Managing Shareholder of the firm's Orange County office. He focuses his practice on working with real estate funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and institutional owners, and their advisors, in connection with the purchase and sale, ground-up development, and financing of commercial properties (including multi-property and multi-state portfolio sales and acquisitions), directly or through the formation of joint ventures with local operators and/or developers. Bruce also represents institutional lenders and institutional owners in connection with workouts involving complex loan restructuring, foreclosures, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, and the appointment of receivers. Additionally, his practice includes the representation of institutional lenders and borrowers regarding the origination of construction loans, permanent loans and credit enhancement involving commercial projects, multi-phase residential projects, and affordable housing projects.

  Greenberg Traurig

  Co-Managing Shareholder

  Moderator

  Bruce Fischer

  Co-Managing Shareholder

  Greenberg Traurig

Remarks from the Podium

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  Emanuel Fabian

  Emanuel Fabian is a seasoned commercial real estate professional and trusted advisor with over a decade of experience across multifamily, industrial, retail, and senior housing. As a Senior Business Development Manager at PearlX, he helps multifamily owners unlock new revenue streams through roof leases by delivering clean energy infrastructure, including rooftop solar, battery storage, and EV charging systems all at no upfront cost. Emanuel has overseen more than $500 million in real estate transactions, with prior roles spanning investment sales, land acquisitions, and development at firms such as Ten-X (CoStar), Contour Real Estate, and CB Commercial. He brings a strategic, data-driven approach to every deal, built on strong relationships with property owners, asset managers, and brokers. Known for simplifying the complexities of investment real estate, Emanuel thrives at the intersection of real estate and innovation, helping clients create long-term value while navigating today’s evolving investment landscape.

  Pearlx

  Sr Business Development Manager

  Remarks

  Emanuel Fabian

  Sr Business Development Manager

  Pearlx

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  Chris Vargas

  As the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Chargie, Chris is responsible for bringing intelligent and reliable EV charging solutions to multifamily and commercial properties around the country. He has a proven track record of delivering products and services that drive innovation and growth for real estate owners, managers and investors. Before joining Chargie, he served as Director of Business Development at Boingo Wireless, a leading provider of 5G technology. Prior to Boingo, Chris held leadership positions at Verizon Enhanced Communities, Hughes Communications, rent.com, Global Enterprise Resource Group, and CU Solutions Group, and was one of the first five employees at DirecTV.

  Chargie

  EVP

  Remarks

  Chris Vargas

  EVP

  Chargie