People on the Move 10.26.22| Housing Finance Magazine

Industry Veteran Joins Fairstead as CFO

Sally Hebner has been named chief financial officer (CFO) at Fairstead, a national purpose-driven, vertically integrated real estate company. She brings three decades of experience in real estate accounting and finance to the firm.

“I am thrilled to officially welcome Sally to Fairstead as our chief financial officer and a key member of our leadership team,” said Jeffrey Goldberg, CEO of Fairstead. “Sally has built a reputation in the industry for being a visionary leader and has dedicated her career to fostering economic equity and opportunity. As Fairstead’s portfolio rapidly grows across the U.S., Sally will bring her passion, expertise, and creativity honed with decades of experience to our team and help steer the company as we enter our most ambitious period of growth.”

Hebner recently served as CFO of Enterprise Community Partners, a leading nonprofit affordable housing organization. During her nearly two decades at Enterprise, she served in both finance and asset management roles, leveraging technology and transforming processes to improve risk management, scalability, and efficiency. As senior vice president, Hebner was a key contributor to the effort to transform the asset management function into an industry-leading platform. She also led the capital division finance functions, including housing credit, mortgage, real estate equity, and development, before becoming CFO in 2017.

Beacon Communities Names VP of Community Engagement

Washina X. Ford has joined Boston-based Beacon Communities as vice president of community engagement.

Ford will lead the department, establishing best practices and creating innovative approaches to resident services in order to best meet the needs of all Beacon residents. She will play an integral role in setting the direction of Beacon’s resident services and will work closely with colleagues across departments to build consensus and pilot new initiatives. She will also be instrumental in the creation of a set of metrics and outcomes developed to strengthen Beacon’s ability to share the impact of resident services.

Prior to her new role at Beacon, Ford spent over a decade at The Community Builders, where she started as a youth support specialist, ultimately holding five different roles across multiple regions before recently serving as senior director of community life. Out of the Washington, D.C., office, Ford developed and oversaw strategic plans and stakeholder engagements across six states.

National Church Residences Announces Promotion

Brianna Mettler has been promoted to vice president of health care operations at National Church Residences, one of the country’s largest providers of affordable housing and services. She previously served as vice president of senior services.

Mettler’s new responsibilities include managing operational responsibilities for all senior service departments: home health, hospice, community wellness, support services, and senior care management. Additionally, she will direct operations at 16 senior housing properties in Ohio and Florida. The properties range from independent and assisted-living to memory-care and skilled-nursing communities. Overall, Mettler will oversee more than 1,200 employees in the senior services and senior living divisions.

She joined the Ohio-based nonprofit in 2006 as a regional rehabilitation manager and has risen quickly through the ranks.

RHF Adds Executives

RHF (Retirement Housing Foundation) has named Yuri Escandon as vice president of affordable housing operations and Andre Perry as vice president and chief operating officer.

Escandon oversees the daily operations of Foundation Property Management and RHF Management, the arm of RHF that is responsible for its 180 affordable housing communities for low-income seniors, working families, and persons with disabilities.

He brings 20 years of experience in nonprofit affordable housing management, focusing on effective leadership, operational insight, and innovative property management strategies.

In a newly created position at RHF, Perry oversees development, acquisitions, and affordable housing operations.

He brings more than 20 years of experience in the fields of real estate development, affordable housing finance, nonprofit management law, and real estate finance. Perry most recently served as manager of the Proposition HHH Unit and Multifamily Tax-Exempt Bond Unit for the city of Los Angeles Housing Department.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, RHF is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of affordable housing and services. It sponsors and manages 194 communities in 29 states and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. More than 22,000 people call an RHF community home.

Bellwether Enterprise Appoints National Director of Affordable Housing Production

Kamara Green will become national director of affordable housing production at Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital (BWE), a national commercial and multifamily mortgage banking company, on Jan. 1, 2023.

In her new role, she will manage the day-to-day and growth operations of BWE’s affordable platform. She will be supported by Ben Nichols, who will serve as director of affordable housing operations.

Green currently serves as BWE’s national director of affordable analytics and sales, managing the affordable analytics team and overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and private-placement deals. Prior to joining BWE, she served as a senior relationship manager at Freddie Mac, working with lenders and sponsors to structure Targeted Affordable Housing transactions. During that time, she managed mortgage banking relationships and partnered to execute over $1 billion in new originations.

Earlier in her career, Green spent 12 years at Bank of America as a senior tax credit originator, senior vice president, and an equity underwriter, working with syndicators to identify investments for both proprietary and multi-investor funds.

Regions Affordable Housing Appoints VP

Andrew Philips has been named vice president of asset management at Regions Affordable Housing.
In his new role, Philips is responsible for optimizing value for investor and developer partners through the financial performance of low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) investment assets. He will also work closely with general partners and property managers to ensure long-term viability of properties within the portfolio.

Based in the Boston area, Philips has previously held positions at two national LIHTC syndication firms for over 21 years with experience in both affordable asset and fund management roles.

Regions Affordable Housing is a national LIHTC investor, syndication firm, and leader in affordable housing. Regions Bank is one of the nation’s largest participants in affordable housing finance through the LIHTC program, providing comprehensive real estate banking and capital markets services to meet the debt and equity capital needs of developers and investors.

Nixon Peabody Expands Real Estate Practice With Returning Attorney

Jennifer Berrios has rejoined Nixon Peabody’s Rochester, New York, office as counsel. She previously served as a firm associate from 2007 to 2009.

Berrios’ practice focuses on commercial real estate transfers and acquisitions, leasing, and financing. She represents purchasers and sellers in real property transactions, as well as borrowers and lenders in finance transactions, including those involving industrial development agencies. Berrios also represents landlords and tenants in both commercial and residential real estate transactions, acquisitions, and general landlord-tenant issues.

She also specializes in land-use and zoning. She advises commercial developers going before municipal boards to obtain necessary approvals, including those required under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act.