Oakland & East Bay Multifamily

In addition to 15 years of experience in real estate development, Mr. Babsin is an attorney and CPA. Mr. Babsin holds a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois, a JD from Harvard Law School, and a Master in City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley.

Michael E. Johnson is President and Chief Executive Officer of UrbanCore Development, LLC which he founded in 2012 to focus on public-private, mixed-income residential development projects. Prior to establishing UrbanCore, Mr. Johnson was the President of Em Johnson Interest, Inc., a real estate development company based in San Francisco for 20 years. Over the combined last 25 years, his companies have been one of the largest African American businesses in the Bay Area. This is as a result of recent completion or current undertaking of over $800 million in project development activity, representing over 3,000 housing units and several mixed-use projects. He has served as the Managing Partner of award winning redevelopment projects such as the Fillmore Heritage Center, an $85 million mixed-use project in San Francisco; the $32 million Easter Hill HOPE VI project in Richmond, California; and the $45 million Mary Helen Roger Senior Center in San Francisco. Mr. Johnson has recently completed projects in Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego. This includes the completion of the $40 million Cannery Place 180-unit Affordable Housing project in Sacramento, the $35 million Warren-Eviva both in Sacramento (118 units), and the $50 million Eviva-Mission Bay project in San Francisco (129 units). UrbanCore also is currently completing construction on the largest modular housing project in Oakland, the $56 million, 110-unit Coliseum Connections apartment project scheduled to begin occupancy in March 2019, and is in the final pre-construction phase of the LakeHouse Commons - mixed income $250 million apartment project near Lake Merritt, and in Oakland which is schedule to break ground in the 3rd quarter of 2019. Mr. Johnson previously was a co-Managing Partner of the $102 million North Beach Place redevelopment project completed 2004, which has received numerous awards. Mr. Johnson has two degrees - a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Urban Planning in 1976, and a Master of Architecture with a concentration in Real Estate Development in 1979, from the University of Maryland and the Georgia Institute of Technology respectively. While at the Maryland, Michael was a student-athlete as a member of the track & field team, and was an Atlantic Coast Conference Champion in 1974. Mr. Johnson is currently a Member of the University of Maryland’s Board of Trustees and also serves on the Oakland Zoo Planning Advisory Committee, along with serving on the Board of the national non-profit Neighborhood Development Collaborative. He has also served on the Board of Trustees for the St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland, on the Planning Commission, YMCA and Library Boards while in Atlanta, and the Board of Glide Memorial Church’s Housing Corporation in San Francisco. Mr. Johnson also lectures regularly at the University of Maryland’s Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development.

Anthony Cataldo brings over 15 years’ experience in commercial architecture including retail, office, medical, and industrial projects to Lowney Architecture. He is a Licensed Architect in the State of California as well as a LEED AP, and has been actively involved with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and was President of the East Bay Chapter in 2012. Building Design and Construction magazine named Anthony one of the top 40 under 40 in 2014. Anthony understands, and is perfectly aligned with, Lowney Architecture's culture of design excellence, professional collaboration and community engagement

John has over 20 years multifamily/commercial real estate experience in finance and asset management. He is responsible for business development in the San Francisco Bay Area. John has arranged financing for more than $2 billion in real estate and has led the disposition effort on over $500 million in institutional real estate. Prior to joining Bellwether Enterprise, John was First Vice President of Asset Management and Marketing at Essex Property Trust in Palo Alto, California. Before his time at Essex, John was Senior Vice President of Finance and Asset Management at Prometheus Real Estate Group in San Mateo, California.

Robert S. Miller is a Partner in Lubin Olson's Business, Real Estate and Land Use Practice Groups, resident in the firm's Walnut Creek office. He represents business and individuals in all aspects of their real estate business operations, including real property acquisitions and dispositions, entity issues, leasing, construction and related contract negotiation, financing, project development and entitlement, regulatory compliance, litigation management, insurance and risk management. Mr. Miller has particular experience in the homebuilding industry and transactions and represents numerous homebuilders and residential developers in his practice. Prior to joining Lubin Olson, Mr. Miller was General Counsel of Braddock & Logan Services, Inc., a diversified real estate holding, development and home building company. In that capacity, he represented the company and its affiliates in connection with their management and operation of residential, commercial, retail and residential care facility properties, with a particular emphasis on the homebuilding industry. Mr. Miller also previously served as an associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in San Francisco, and Tomotsune, Kimura & Mitomi in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Miller has been active in several community and legal organizations, including the California State Bar Real Property Law Section, the California Apartment Association, the Rental Housing Organization of Northern Alameda County, the East Bay Chapter of Amigos de las Americas, and Congregation B’Nai Tikvah. Mr. Miller has been honored by Thompson Reuters as a Northern California Super Lawyer in 2017 and 2018. In addition, Mr. Miller is a frequent presenter on real estate issues and has had numerous publications on real estate topics. A number of his presentations and articles are listed below.

Lauren Seaver is President of OHG. In her role, Lauren is responsible for all stages of the acquisition, due diligence, financing and asset management process. She has over 8 years of experience in institutional multifamily and commercial development and acquisitions. Over her career, she has led the development, entitlement and acquisition of over $800 million in multifamily and commercial real estate. She was a 2019 Bay Area Power Woman and SF Business Times Woman of Influence. Lauren holds an M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Stanford University in Economics with a minor in Mathematics. She is an active mentor for college-bound students in the College is Real, a licensed California Real Estate Broker, and mom of Brooke (3 yrs) and Clayton (<1 yr).

BayRock Multifamily continues to own and develop outstanding, in-fill apartment and condominium properties. The principals of BayRock have over 30 years of real estate development and investment experience. This history includes the development of over 8,000 apartment homes in six western states. Using this extensive experience, the principals are truly focused on prudent management of costs, while delivering above-average economic results for its customer partners. Today BayRock is focused on key, infill, 24 hour urban environments in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our Investment Builder/Developer approach includes the long term ownership and management of extraordinary investments in these great neighborhoods. A BayRock home provides distinct advantages. We only invest in superior locations where it will improve the lifestyle of our residents. Our commitment to quality is unwavering. We strive to provide the best amenities and services that will make the community a vibrant place to live and work with award-winning architects to design homes providing flexible designs for maximum livability.

Casey Case is a woman to watch. She and her team of innovative Bay Area-based designers are making the world a better place by “getting people outside.” The daughter of two respected landscape architects; she was raised to observe how people interact with spaces. Now she’s managing partner of Gates + Associates, a 40-year-old landscape architecture firm that blends timeless design strategies with a fresh, next- generation approach. Their focus on site-specific and user-focused placemaking results in – you guessed it – getting people outside. Casey’s expertise as a landscape architect, arborist, and sustainability steward allows her to design the outdoors with a holistic approach that penetrates the building edge and bridges gaps between the environment and human interaction. In addition to her role at Gates + Associates, she is a design review commissioner for the City of Walnut Creek and a yoga teacher at a local Bay Area studio. You will also find her enjoying the outdoors with her young family.

Jose Belman is a real estate entrepreneur, founder of Capital Homes Investments LLC, who focus on real estate investments in the Multi-Family Apartment Sector and Single-Family Homes. He also holds a Real Estate Brokers License and owns a Brokerage Office: Priority Real Estate Inc. Jose is a speaker who has been helping people understand the world of real estate for over two decades. With an extensive 22+ year background as a real estate entrepreneur, he purchased and sold 300+ Real Estate Assets with a Value of over $60 Million. Jose is a San Jose State University Graduate with a Degree in Finance and Economics and he got accepted to Harvard Business School for the Year 2024. Jose hosted a Faith Driven Entrepreneurship conference in June 2022 to help people who are still wondering what they want in life and live their lives with purpose. World renowned leadership speakers like John C. Maxwell, Tresa Todd, Rob Rowsell were some of the speakers who spoke at the event and shared how they found their purpose and led their businesses.

Susan Friedland was recently named SAHA’s Chief Executive Officer after having served as its Executive Director since 2005. Previously, Susan was the Director of Housing Development with Fifth Avenue Committee, a community-based development corporation in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a Masters of City Planning degree from U.C. Berkeley and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University. She received the National Award for Women in Planning from the American Planning Association and was honored by the Girl Scouts for her work promoting green building. Susan was a member of the Board of Directors of the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH), and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Enterprise's Community Leadership Committee and for California Housing Consortium. She supports her local community as Chair of the Albany Music Fund and formerly as a Planning Commissioner.

Heather Hood is vice president and Northern California market leader for Enterprise Community Partners Inc. She directs Enterprise’s programmatic work in the region to ensure low- and moderate-income residents live in quality homes that are affordable and connected to opportunity. These efforts include generating policy and funding innovations to address the region’s tremendous affordable housing needs, improving the buildings and services in public housing, preparing regions to be ready and resilient for disasters, and increasing local, regional and state resources for affordable housing preservation and production. Heather joined Enterprise in 2011, and since then, her pursuits to advance solutions include co-authoring The Elephant in the Region: How Bay Metro Can Lead a Bold Regional Housing Agenda and serving in CASA’s production work group to develop a potential regionwide inclusionary zoning framework and to create a plan to utilize public land. She also conceived Enterprise’s technical assistance approach around the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program leading to more $400 million in state resources to affordable homes and co-chaired Oakland’s Housing Cabinet to determine more practical and impactful solutions. Prior to joining Enterprise, Heather worked at The San Francisco Foundation as the Initiative Officer managing the Great Communities Collaborative where she was instrumental in the development of the $85 million Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund. She was a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Department of City and Regional Planning and a co-founder and director of its Center for Community Innovation. She co-authored The Future of Infill Housing in California: Opportunities, Potential, Feasibility and Demand for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which laid the groundwork for the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act. Heather has served on the boards of Transform, the American Institute of Architects and the Center for Urban Family Life. She earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture from Carnegie Mellon University, her master’s degrees in architecture and city planning from University of California, Berkeley and studied urban design and density at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark International Studies.

Cory Creath, AIA, LEED AP, brings more than 30 years of commercial architectural design experience to AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design as one of the firm’s founders and Principal Architects. With particular expertise in multi-family residential and hospitality architectural design, Cory’s knowledge spans design, building, development, and operational issues for developers, designers, owners, and investors alike. More than simply an architectural designer, Cory assists clients with the business case for each development, helping stakeholders increase a project’s construction success. In addition to managing architectural design projects, Cory oversees AXIS/GFA’s business development initiatives and day-to-day operations, guiding the firm as an expert on the business-side of architectural firm management. Prior to the formation of AXIS/GFA, Cory was a Studio Director with Gensler’s San Francisco office. In his spare time, Cory enjoys sharing the outdoors with his family – particularly skiing California’s local mountains.

Sarah Karlinsky is an expert in housing and land use policy. She has led the publication of numerous SPUR policy reports, including A New Transit-First Neighborhood for San Francisco, Affordable By Design, Secrets of San Francisco, Defining What San Francisco Needs From Its Seismic Mitigation Policies, Safe Enough to Stay, On Solid Ground, Taking Down a Freeway to Reconnect a Neighborhood and Historic Preservation in San Francisco: Making the Preservation Process Work for Everyone. From 2009 to 2014, Sarah served as SPUR’s deputy director, where she was responsible for managing SPUR’s policy and public engagement efforts. From 2005 to 2009, Sarah was SPUR’s policy director, staffing all of SPUR’s housing and land use work. Prior to joining SPUR, Sarah developed affordable housing throughout the Bay Area with Mid-Pen Housing, one of the largest nonprofit developers of affordable housing in the Bay Area. She has served on the boards on many Bay Area nonprofits, including Community Housing Partnership, TransForm and Urban Ecology, and has taught land use planning at San Francisco State University. Sarah began her career teaching urban planning to middle school students as a Teach for America corps member in Baltimore, Maryland. She received her Master’s degree in public policy and urban planning from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University She is the author of Smart Growth and Community Development Corporations: Putting Policy into Practice, published by the National Reinvestment Corporation and the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. Sarah holds a BA in history from Columbia University.

Jesse Gundersheim is a market economist for CoStar, the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. Jesse analyzes real estate tends and maintains market reports for the San Francisco Bay Area, helping investors, property managers, and lenders minimize risk and maximize returns. Jesse regularly speaks at industry events to discuss his findings, and has been quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times, Bloomberg, and BisNow. Jesse was raised in Marin County and studied finance at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Previously, he led Bay Area market research departments at the brokerage firms of Grubb & Ellis, Studley, and DTZ. Jesse has also worked for private apartment investors, providing due diligence and pro-forma analysis. Jesse enjoys hiking in the North Bay in his free time, and has traveled to nearly 50 countries.

Marco Cugia is a Senior Market Analyst at CoStar Group the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces. Working within the Analytics team, Marco is responsible for analyzing commercial real estate trends and maintaining market reports for the San Francisco Bay Area. Marco regularly speaks at industry events discussing current economic and real estate findings. Prior to joining CoStar in 2018, Marco worked for over 7 years in real estate appraisal and valuation, primarily focused on assets located in the nine county Bay Area. Marco received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Loyola Marymount University and holds an MBA from St. Mary’s College of California.