NYC Affordable Housing and Community Development

Molly Park oversees HPD's Office of Development, with divisions including New Construction, Preservation Finance, Housing Incentives, Preservation Disposition Finance, Supportive Housing, Building and Land Development Services (BLDS), Storm Recovery, and Credit and Underwriting. Among other initiatives, she has primary responsibility for the housing production goals of the Housing New York Plan and related pre-development work. In addition, Park ensures that the Office of Development is closely coordinated with other critical functions of the Agency, including Neighborhood Strategies, Planning, Code Enforcement, and Asset Management. Prior to this role, Park was the Chief Operating Officer of Settlement Housing Fund, where she has expanded her affordable housing expertise by overseeing Settlement's development activity, supervising proposal submissions, underwriting, coordination with funders and other members of the development team, and land use approvals. From 2010 to 2014, Park served as HPD's Deputy Commissioner of Budget, Fiscal, and Performance Management. A graduate of Amherst College, Park holds a Master's in Public Policy from the university of California - Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy.

Nathan joined Jonathan Rose Companies in 2004 where he oversees the acquisition and preservation of affordable, mixed and middle income multifamily housing nationally. He has lead the investment of six equity funds, helping Rose grown into one of the country’s leading developers and investors in the field with a portfolio of 15,000 units. As a mission-driven firm, Rose acquires multifamily housing in transit-oriented or walkable locations, preserves its affordability, improves its economic and environmental performance, and works to enhance the lives of its residents. We acquire properties directly or in joint venture with local partners who share our vision and commitment to making an impact. Last year, Nathan and his team were recognized as the top acquirer of affordable housing in the country, and he is passionate about doing his part to create more vibrant and resilient communities for low-income families and seniors. Nathan lives with his wife and two kids in New York City.

Mr. Cohen is responsible for managing BRP Companies' new construction and acquisition rehab transactions. Since 2013, Mr. Cohen has been responsible for over $1B in development comprising over 2,100 units of mixed-income affordable rental housing and over 150,000 SF of commercial space. Mr. Cohen previously held various positions at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Most recently, Mr. Cohen served as the Director of Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Preservation where he oversaw the legal and financial restructuring of over 5,000 residential dwelling units, comprised of over 50 separate transactions. In this role, Mr. Cohen originated over $50M in construction and permanent debt and leveraged over $100M in bond financing, over $80M in equity, $17M in conventional debt, and refinanced over $150M in existing debt. Mr. Cohen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Development from Trinity College and a Master of Arts degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

Victor Sozio is one of the Founding Members of Ariel Property Advisors. Serving the company as Executive Vice President-Brokerage Services, Mr. Sozio is responsible for originating and executing the sale of commercial real estate transactions throughout the five boroughs. Since beginning his career, Mr. Sozio has participated in selling more than 550 properties valued at over $2 billion and has established himself as one of New York City’s leading commercial real estate brokers. Through his career Mr. Sozio has maintained a sharp focus on the multi-family asset class, selling both individual buildings and portfolios. He has developed a comprehensive understanding of properties subject to various city, state and federal regulatory agreements, including rent stabilization, Section 8 vouchers, HUD agreements and LIHTC. His expertise extends to the sale of development sites and commercial condos throughout New York City. In 2012, The Commercial Observer named Mr. Sozio one of the 20 to Watch, which recognized emerging commercial real estate professionals. In 2013 and 2014, Real Estate Forum named him and his partners as Top NY Brokers, as well as recognizing him as one of Tomorrow’s Leaders: New York. Mr. Sozio is an active participant and supporter of industry and non-profit organizations such as The Real Estate Board of New York, Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors and the New York State Association for Affordable Housing where he serves on the membership committee. Mr. Sozio began his real estate career at Massey Knakal Realty Services, now Cushman & Wakefield. He is a graduate of Manhattan College, where he received a B.S. with a concentration in marketing. He also is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lenny LaBarbiera has experience representing various domestic and foreign banks and financial institutions in all aspects of secured and unsecured financing. He has worked extensively on commercial transactions that have utilized tax-exempt lease financing structures, and regularly represents developers in the construction and development of residential and commercial properties through the use of government grants, tax-exempt bonds, low income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, and new markets tax credits. He has a J.D. from Fordham Law School, an M.B.A. from Columbia and a B.A. in economics, Phi Beta Kappa, from Rutgers.

Aaron Koffman leads Hudson's affordable housing pipeline and portfolio. Aaron relishes the challenge of putting Hudson's best feet forward on public and private competitions for development sites and building lasting partnerships with public, private and non-profit organizations. Aaron is continually inspired by his Hudson colleagues and loves working to bring transformative mixed-use developments like La Central, The Peninsula, BEC II and Greenpoint Hospital to reality. Aaron is a New York State Volunteer Firefighter who earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UC Berkeley and his Master of City Planning from MIT. Aaron also serves on the NYC Waterfront Management Advisory Board as well as the Board of the NYU Furman Center, Coro New York, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. He remains a diehard Los Angeles Lakers and Angels fan.

Tabaré Borbón is a Vice President – Senior Mortgage Banker in Key Bank’s Real Estate Capital Affordable Housing Group. Tabaré is responsible for originating affordable housing loans through various loan products utilizing Key’s partnerships with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, CDT, and tax exempt private placement bonds in the northeast region. Tabaré has over 30 years of Multifamily Affordable Housing experience. Prior to joining Key this year, Tabaré spent nine years as a Senior Customer Account Manager in Fannie Mae’s Multifamily Mortgage Business. In this role, he was responsible for managing Fannie Mae Affordable Lenders, with approximately $1 billion in production a year, as part of the Multifamily Affordable Lending Channel. He also served as a subject matter expert for affordable bond credit enhancement transactions. In addition, he was instrumental in the development and administration of the Department of Treasury’s Multifamily New Issue Bond Program, a joint venture between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The program resulted in Treasury’s purchase of approximately $2.8 billion in Housing Finance Agency (HFA) multifamily bonds, and the creation of over 25,000 affordable multifamily units. Prior to Joining Fannie Mae, Tabaré spent two years as a Vice President in Goldman Sach’s (Goldman) Public Sector Infrastructure Group. There he led the general banking coverage of numerous project finance developers in the Military Housing Privatization space, and was also lead banker for numerous State HFAs. This resulted in closing over $1 billion in taxable military project debt, and over $500 million in State HFA tax-exempt debt. Prior to Goldman Tabaré was at Standard and Poor’s where he managed the group's Multi-Family Housing practice, and previously he was at the National Equity Fund as a senior underwriter. He began his career in Affordable Housing at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation (HPD), as a Deputy Director for one for one of their field offices and a program manager in HPD’s Partnership New Homes program. Tabaré has a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree both from the State University of New York at Stonybrook.

Kevin Deegan is a Director of Hunt Mortgage Group’s rapidly growing affordable housing/FHA group. He is focused primarily on originating and closing Affordable and FHA multifamily loans nationwide, but also serves clients using Hunt Mortgage Group’s balance sheet products and agency executions. Prior to joining Hunt Mortgage Group, Kevin Deegan was Director, Real Estate Advisory Services (REAS) at National Valuation Consultants. Prior to that he held positions with Harmony Housing/Greystone & Co. and Centerline Capital Group (FKA Related Capital Group). Deegan is a graduate of Virginia Tech University.

Lawrence Hammond is a Vice President and Mortgage Officer in the Community Preservation Corporation’s (CPC) New York City Originations division where he is responsible for the company’s lending activities throughout New York City and Long Island. In this capacity he facilitates the growth of CPC’s efforts in providing construction and permanent financing opportunities that seek to reflect CPC’s core mission to stabilize and revitalize communities. Mr. Hammond joined CPC in 2015 after spending over 30 years with various financial institutions inclusive of Popular Community Bank, Bank of New York Mellon, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Throughout his banking career, he has continued to demonstrate an ability to cultivate established relationships with leaders in the public and private sectors of business and government. Mr. Hammond earned a Doctorate of Ministry and Masters of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science from Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus). He is married to Primrose Hammond and has three sons and two granddaughters.

Nicholas Kamillatos joined Rosenberg & Estis in 1982, and became a member in June, 1989. For three decades, he has represented property owners and lenders in numerous litigations and development projects involving virtually every administrative and regulatory agency that has jurisdiction over real estate in New York City. Those agencies include the New York State DHCR and Office of Attorney General, the New York City HPD, ECB, and HDC, and federal matters at HUD. As a member of the firm's Administrative Group, Nick Kamillatos has advised property owners on how to best deal with overlapping regulations relating to the ownership, financing and redevelopment of residential properties. He developed a due diligence system which allows buyers and lending institutions to confirm the validity and enforceability of apartment building rent rolls using the State's rent registration database. Mr. Kamillatos also assists Mitchell‑Lama property owners to establish the highest possible rent levels after the properties leave the Mitchell-Lama system. He won a groundbreaking appeal to the State's highest court establishing property owners' right to apply for substantial rent increases after Mitchell-Lama regulation ends, KSLM-Columbus Apartment, Inc. v. DHCR, 2005. Additionally, Mr. Kamillatos has represented high profile not-for-profit institutions in redeveloping their institutional real estate for non-profit purposes, including the world renowned Carnegie Hall Corp. Mr. Kamillatos has lectured as a recognized administrative law expert at the Real Estate Board of New York, the Community Housing Improvement Program, Inc., and at bar association seminars convened by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the New York County Lawyers' Association.

Spencer Orkus is a Partner and the President of Development at L+M Development Partners who has been with the company since 2007. He has developed over 5,000 affordable new construction units within various mixed-use new construction projects compiling over $2.5 billion in financing resources. Spencer leads L+M’s efforts to provide housing that is healthy, energy-efficient, and resilient to climate change. He is passionate about the intersection of housing, healthcare and food access, partnering with various healthcare providers, food-oriented social justice enterprises and other non-profits. He has led L+M’s venture into the new era of sustainable construction, having completed our first passive house project with geothermal heating/cooling and NYC’s first net-zero community in the pipeline. Prior to joining L+M, Spencer worked as a licensed structural engineer for DeSimone Consulting Engineers designing high-rise residential buildings and other structures. He has a BA and MA in Architectural Engineering from Penn State University and an MA in Real Estate from New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. He is co-chair of the NYSAFAH policy committee, a board member of New York Passive House and serves on the Hastings on Hudson waterfront zoning committee.

Bryan Kelly joined Gotham in 2016 as Executive Vice President, Development, where he leads the Gotham Development division, including oversight of the acquisition process, entitlements and approvals, design, deal structuring, capital raising, marketing strategy and stabilization and refinancing. Prior to Gotham, Bryan successfully led numerous development projects for Fisher Brothers, a private firm focused on investment, asset management and development for its real estate portfolio. As Project Executive, he oversaw more than $400,000,000 of development, including the condo conversion of 101 West 87th Street and the design and development of 225 East 39th Street, projects spanning luxury market rate homes, 80/20 affordability, amenities and retail spaces. Bryan began his career as an Originations Manager at First Sterling Financial, a privately held firm specializing in tax credit syndications, focusing on the origination, structuring and underwriting of tax credit investments to create or preserve affordable housing, followed by time as a Senior Project Manager with Atlantic Development Group, a leading NYC developer of affordable and mixed‐income housing. During his tenure with Atlantic, he oversaw the planning or financing of more than 1,000 new affordable homes for New Yorkers. Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, College at Rose Hill and pursued Graduate Studies in Economics at the Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Bryan was a five‐year scholarship athlete and member of the Fordham University Baseball Team. He is also currently a member of the Advisory Board for the New York Housing Conference.

Jennifer Dickson is the chief planning and development specialist in Herrick's Land Use & Zoning Group, where she works with clients on all aspects of zoning and land use regulations. She has extensive experience with zoning and planning issues, and has worked on numerous complex rezoning, special permit and variance applications. She also helps clients navigate inclusionary housing regulations, landmarks issues and development rights transfers. Jennifer is also a leading authority on the Affordable New York housing program and its predecessor program 421-a. She has helped numerous high-profile developers, investors and lenders navigate the 421-a program, and assists clients with Affordable New York eligibility analysis, applications and compliance issues. Additionally, Jennifer regularly appears before the New York City Planning Commission, the New York City Council and the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals. Additionally, she handles applications to the New York City Departments of Finance, Buildings, as well as Housing, Preservation and Development.

Joseph A. Tahl is President and Co-Founder of Tahl Propp Equities (“Tahl Propp”). Tahl Propp is a leading owner, manager, builder and developer of primarily affordable housing in both East and West Harlem. Founded in 1998 by Mr. Tahl and Rodney M. Propp, the Firm now owns, manages and has in development almost 3,000 units of primarily affordable housing. Messrs. Tahl and Propp are Lifetime Gold Members of the NAACP. Tahl Propp is an active participant in Housing New York, Mayor De Blasio’s 10-year, 200,000 unit affordable housing preservation and development plan. Over the past several years, they have successfully worked with HPD, HDC and HUD to complete the long-term preservation of over 1,500 project-based Section 8 units in Harlem, including Gladys Hampton Houses (202 Units); New West I and II (175 units); Riverview I and II (175 units); 1775 Houses (255 Units); AK Houses (157 Units); MS Houses (131 Units); Lexington Gardens (107 Units); Audubon Apartments (88 Units); Gateway I (60 Units); and Washington Heights Site A (110 Units). The following is a partial list of non-profit charitable organizations that Mr. Tahl supports and/or has supported during his career: UJA-Federation of New York; Former Co-Chair, Real Estate Executives Division; State of Israel Bonds, Former Co-Chair, Real Estate New Leadership Cabinet; NAACP, Mid-Manhattan Branch, Lifetime Gold Member; LSA Family Health Service, Corporate Spirit Award Recipient, 2015; Financial Support: Columbia Grammar And Preparatory School, YMCA, Union Settlement, PALANTE Harlem, NYC Mayor’s Fund, New York State Association for Affordable Housing, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, New York City Housing Partnership, Hope Community, Harlem United, Harlem Academy, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, El Museo Del Barrio, Community Service Society, Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, 125th Street Business Improvement District, 25th and 32nd Police Precincts Community Council, The 92nd Street Y, Prep for Prep, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, Ichan School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital, AIDS Service Center NYC, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, The Central Park Conservancy, Hope Community, New Harlem East Merchant Association, World Series of Stickball, North Side, Women in Black, African American Day Parade, Enterprise, Creative Art Works, Housing Partnership, Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, and CLOTH. Mr. Tahl is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College and earned his J.D. at the Washington College of Law of American University. Mr. Tahl is married with three children and lives in Harlem with his family.

Claire is an accomplished leader and innovator in affordable housing and the health and human services sector. She has over 30+ years of diversified experience developing affordable and supportive housing, and creating and implementing advances in community development, health, human services and employment for underserved populations. As Executive Vice President for Housing and Community Development at Capalino+Company, Claire Altman assists clients in strategizing and implementing approaches to develop, finance, and build community support for affordable, mixed income and supportive housing. Claire began her career at the Vera Institute of Justice where her early innovations included EASYRIDE, the precursor to Access-A-Ride, the first paratransit service in New York City for elderly and disabled persons, and Neighborhood Work Project, a day labor program employing ex-offenders. Claire founded Housing & Services, Inc. (HSI), a not for profit organization that helps address homelessness in NYC through the development and management of permanent supportive housing. During her 19 years as President of HSI, Claire pioneered the development of $350 million of affordable and supportive housing. Claire has spent the last 15 years leading not-for-profit organizations in the aging, housing, human service and health fields. Most recently, she served as COO of HealthCare Chaplaincy and as CEO of Volunteers of America GNY, where she had oversight of housing for 2500 individuals with behavioral health issues, homeless individuals and families, veterans and the elderly. Claire earned her J.D. from Fordham University, an M.P.A. in Urban Planning from the NYU Wagner School, and her B.A. from St. Louis University.

Jack Esterson is a principal at Think! Architecture & Design, a 25-person design firm based in Downtown Brooklyn. With over 40 years of architectural practice in New York, Mr. Estersonhas refined his skills across projects of varying budgets, scales and programs. His current work at Think! centers on multi-family affordable and market rate residential and mixed-use projects as well as working with academic, cultural and healthcare clients. This breadth of experience allows for Mr. Esterson to innovate under extraordinary budgetary constraints, producing design solutions that aspire to exceed clients’ expectations, engage end-users and communicate the client’s mission and values, while strengthening New York's communities. Mr. Esterson has received numerous design awards and has been featured widely in domestic and international media. He received the 2015 Henry Hobson Richardson Award for Public Architecture, which recognizes architects who have made a significant contribution to the quality of public architecture in New York State.

Mark Kavanaugh is a partner in CohnReznick’s New York office and a member of the Firm’s Affordable Housing Industry practice. He works closely with the Northeast Regional Director of this practice to further the Firm’s significant expansion in the affordable housing industry in New York. Mark has spent his 24 year public accounting career developing expertise in partnership, corporate, and individual taxation as it relates to the real estate industry. Mark has a comprehensive understanding of the significant impact, both beneficial and detrimental, that income taxation has upon real estate development and ownership. His areas of focus have included planning, research, and compliance with respect to partnership allocations, the low-income housing tax credit, historic rehabilitation tax credits, Brownfield redevelopment tax credits, long-term contracts, IRC §1031 like-kind exchanges, cancellation of indebtedness, and taxation of high net-worth individuals. Mark has also successfully represented clients through IRS tax examinations as well as those of various state and local taxing authorities. Prior to joining CohnReznick, Mark was a founding partner of a New York City-based accounting firm that provides deal structuring, audit, taxation, and financial analysis services to developers and owners of real estate.