Northern California Multifamily Updates: What You Need To Know For 2021

Lexie is responsible for administering Greystar’s sustainability programs globally. She works across the management, development and investment teams to coordinate reporting and develop standards and programing designed to reduce Greystar’s carbon footprint and consumption at the asset, portfolio and organizational level. Lexie received her MBA in Sustainability from the University of Denver and has her LEED AP O+M designation which enables her to continue to advance the company’s sustainability mission.

Rachel Mavrothalasitis serves as Associate Director of Impact and Evaluation supporting the development, implementation, evaluation and communication of the firm’s impact strategies, primarily around social and environmental initiatives within the Turner Multifamily Impact Fund. Rachel draws upon her extensive background in direct service to make decisions grounded in consumer experience, guided by analytical and financial insights. Prior to joining the team at Turner Impact Capital, Rachel was the Director of Housing Advocacy at Safe Place for Youth, the lead service provider for young people experiencing homelessness throughout west Los Angeles. In her role, Rachel oversaw all housing partnerships and programs including the ongoing build-out of the Youth Coordinated Entry System county-wide. Previous to that, Rachel held service and administrative roles in education, healthcare, foster care, and mental health programs focusing on the holistic needs of children, youth and families. Rachel received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley and her Master of Business Administration and Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. Rachel values interdisciplinary learning and collaboration and systems that pursue upstream solutions.

A native Angeleno, Ben Stapleton is a recognized sustainability leader, who brings to this position extensive experience and connections across real estate, technology and innovation. He launched and managed the La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown Los Angeles, most recently serving as SVP, Operations & Finance for the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI). The Campus has become an epicenter for sustainability in the region featuring events with prominent local, national and international leaders, while being home to a community of cutting-edge businesses and nonprofits. At LACI, Stapleton led major operational growth, program development, and partnerships to triple revenue for the non-profit. Simultaneously, he helped lead efforts that resulted in the La Kretz Innovation Campus becoming an iconic green building for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the City of Los Angeles, with multiple certifications, as well as pilot projects targeting waste, water, and energy efficiency. Stapleton has also held the positions of Managing Director of the LA Better Buildings Challenge and Vice President & Cleantech Practice Group Lead at JLL. He has served on the boards of LA Bioscience Hub and USGBC-LA. Representing competing schools in Los Angeles, Stapleton holds a MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Through hard work and diligence, my objective is to learn every day, improve every day, help build lasting business relationships, add value and help others be successful in their businesses and careers. Work in commercial real estate in a position that offers the challenge to develop, acquire, operate, maintain, repair, modernize and improve the sustainable areas of the built environment. Provide long range value through thoughtful planning, implementation and execution of the day’s work. Employers deserve this level of commitment from their investment in its employee's, and it is what makes companies fundamentally succeed. Your work should be your resume and it should speak to the success of the business as well. Specialties: I have extensive experience in facility operations, maintenance, repair and construction as well as operating & capital improvement projects, bidding and execution of construction projects. I have performed multiple due diligence exercises for acquisition and disposition. I have an eye on sustainability and the USGBC LEED goals and objectives, processes and projects. I also have experience in labor negotiations and contracts.

Patrick Kennedy is the owner of Panoramic Interests, a development firm that has been building housing, live-work space, and commercial property in the Bay Area since 1990. The firm has focused on dense, mixed-use, mixed-income, infill developments, typically financed with private funds. All of the multi-family housing projects include below market rate units. The firm’s projects incorporate the Smart Growth principles designed to discourage auto use, mitigate sprawl, encourage local business, and enhance the pedestrian streetscape. Mr. Kennedy grew up in the East Bay, and attended Claremont McKenna College, majoring in Economics and English. He is a former member of the Carpenters Union and Steelworkers Union, and the California Bar. After college, he worked as a contractor, and then attended Harvard Law School and MIT, graduating with a J.D. and a Masters in Real Estate Development. Early development work included building his own house, and renovating several small commercial properties. His hobbies include open water swimming and ultra-light backpacking, both of which have furnished surprising insights into his work in development.

Jason Cole currently heads up the Land Acquisition department for TRI Pointe Homes’ SF Bay Area division, but started his career in homebuilding in 2005 on the Permitting and Project Management side of the business. Jason has been with TRI Pointe since 2015, and has enjoyed bringing over a dozen single-family detached and multi-family residential communities to market throughout Northern California. Jason has worked closely and exclusively with SunPower over the past few Building Code cycles to collaborate on and refine TRI Pointe’s internal strategy regarding photovoltaics and energy efficiency in their homes. Prior to joining TRI Pointe Homes, Jason worked for two other public and private homebuilders, two utility-scale solar power project developers, and several consulting engineering firms. He has acquired over 25 years of residential and commercial design & construction experience. He holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Colorado, Boulder, and is both a licensed Professional Engineer and General Engineering Contractor. Jason grew up in the Central Coast of California and currently resides in the SF Bay Area.

Matt Brost is Sr. Director of Sales for SunPower’s New Homes division. Matt has 25 years of experience in the energy sector working with large public and private clients. He currently leads SunPower’s sales channel focused on residential developers and builders, a business segment SunPower launched in 2006. During his 14-year career at SunPower Matt has worked to increase energy efficiency and solar electric adoption by builders and developers. In this time, SunPower has developed partnerships with most of the Top US builders and has completed more than 55,000 new solar homes. Matt has been deeply engaged in policy relating to California solar and energy codes throughout his career, including the 2019 Title 24 Standards. Prior to joining SunPower Matt was Vice President of RLW Analytics, a nationwide energy consulting firm focused on energy policy, demand-side management, load forecasting and measurement and verification. He holds an Environmental Studies degree in Energy Management and Design.

Patrick Sterns is SunPower’s Multifamily Account Manager. With 10 over years of experience in residential and commercial solar project development and, Patrick has worked with both market rate and affordable housing developers. He is passionate about helping builders navigate the new code landscape and integrate solar and storage into their communities seamlessly from inception to completion.

Megan Cordes is an Account Manager for SunPower’s New Homes division, a manufacturer and installer of high efficiency solar electric systems. Megan has been with SunPower since 2019. Prior to SunPower, Megan was with ConSol where she was the lead technical consultant to the California Building Industry Association (CBIA) on building codes and standards. She worked closely with top production builders in California and their representatives at CBIA to provide building industry insight into the code development, adoption, and implementation process. She has also worked for the California Energy Commission and Paramount Solar. She is on the board of the California Professional Women in Building (PWB) as the Chair of the Legislative Committee and is the Chair of the Building Products Efficiency Council for CBIA. She has an extensive background in energy policy and building science and has worked with builders, government agencies, utilities, and other industry stakeholders to promote and execute energy efficiency and renewable projects and programs throughout her career. Megan received a bachelor’s degree in Physics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a concentration in Environmental Studies.

Nolan Zail is a founding principal of Impact Urban, a real estate development company that advances innovation, sustainability and equity to create positive impacts in urban environments. Nolan contributes over 30 years of experience in real estate development including design and construction, developing and re-developing residential, commercial, historic and mixed-use projects. Nolan’s mixed-use and residential development experience includes founding principal of Transform Urban (CA), Senior Vice President of Development with Carmel Partners (CA) and development manager with Santa Clara Development Co. (CA). In addition, Nolan has commercial development experience with Cushman & Wakefield (NY) and non-profit housing redevelopment experience with Common Ground Community (NY). Prior to real estate, Mr. Zail has worked for award winning architectural firms on residential and commercial projects. Nolan was the Project Executive with Carmel Partners for UC Davis West Village, a 130-acre planned net zero energy mixed-use development that received the Urban Land Institute Global Award of Excellence. Nolan received a Master of Science (Real Estate) from New York University; a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science (Horticulture) from the University of Melbourne; and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Notable Projects include UC Davis West Village, Davis, CA; Grand Central Terminal Redevelopment, New York; Prince George Affordable Housing Redevelopment, NY and ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia.