Staff
Each member of our staff brings a deep commitment to our mission and an average of fifteen years of experience in the development, financing, and advocacy in support of the preservation and expansion of affordable homes for lower income Californians.
Matt Schwartz, President (21 years)
Richard Mandel, Director of Financial Consulting (24 years)
Paul Beesemyer, Southern California Program Director (15 years)
Laura Kobler, Director of Training & Senior Program Manager (22 years)
Meg McGraw-Scherer, Senior Program Manager (16 years)
Amy Anderson, Senior Program Manager (16 years)
Greg Chin, Senior Program Manager (23 years)
Zorica Stancevic, Program Manager (9 years)
Marilyn Wacks, Housing Policy Manager (10 years)
Nadia Shihab, Housing Preservation Specialist (6 years)
Ross Nakasone, Sustainable Housing Policy Coordinator (7 years)
Dorothy Anderson, Accounts Manager (19 years)
Matt Schwartz
President & CEO, San Francisco
As President & CEO of the California Housing Partnership Corporation, Matt assists local government and nonprofit organizations with the preservation and creation of affordable housing through policy advocacy, technical assistance, training and financial consulting. Matt has worked in the development, planning and financing of affordable housing for twenty years in both the private and public sectors and has extensive experience with most government funding programs.
Matt also plays a leadership role in shaping Federal and California housing policy and regulations to expand the resources available to preserve and create affordable housing in the state. Under Matt’s leadership, the Partnership has formed a statewide coalition of more than 2,000 nonprofit and local government housing agencies and tenant advocates. In 2009, the coalition succeeded in getting Congressional responses to California’s priorities for funding and legislation in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In 2010, Matt helped facilitate the creation of a new coalition of California organizations committed to helping owners of federally assisted low income rental housing access energy efficiency retrofit resources that have traditionally favored single family housing.
Matt is a past President of the Board of Housing California, a member of the board of trustees of the National Housing Conference, and is an active participant in the national affordable housing Preservation Working Group developing federal legislation to renew and preserve the nation’s existing stock of affordable rental homes and to protect extremely low income families from displacement. Matt was appointed to the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission by Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2008.
Richard Mandel
Director of Financial Consulting, San Francisco
Richard Mandel has been with CHPC since 1990. As Director of Financial Consulting he provides technical assistance and training to nonprofit and local governmental entities in affordable housing finance. Richard has particular expertise in structuring financing packages for projects utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, Multifamily Housing Program (MHP), HUD/FHA, CalHFA, Section 8 project-based assistance, Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program (AHP), and other state and local housing programs. Since 1987, he has assisted nonprofits in the financing of thousands of apartments, including new construction and acquisition/rehabilitation projects serving families, seniors, special needs and other populations.
Prior to joining CHPC, Richard was a Project Manager with the Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition, a major nonprofit development corporation serving San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Richard is very active in the area of preservation of federally assisted housing. He has spoken at numerous conferences, workshops and legislative hearings on this issue and has written several articles and studies. He also served as Chair of the Preservation Working Group of the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California.
Richard received a Master of City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley.
Paul Beesemyer
Southern California Program Director, Los Angeles
Paul Beesemyer joined CHPC in 2000. As the Southern California Program Director he assists Southern California’s nonprofit housing community and public agencies in the areas of affordable housing finance, real estate development, preservation of at-risk housing, and general housing policy. His career in housing began in 1996 and since then he has conducted numerous seminars and trainings and authored several publications, including The Tax Credit Turns Fifteen, a risk analysis of California’s early Tax Credit portfolio. In addition, Paul has worked with the City of Los Angeles Housing Department to develop a comprehensive policy for the preservation of at-risk housing and has advised the City on the creation and implementation of a new preservation ordinance.
Prior to joining CHPC, Paul developed affordable housing as senior project manager for the Los Angeles Community Design Center, where he managed affordable housing and community development projects serving families, seniors, and various special-needs populations. He is knowledgeable in the use of a wide range of community development financing tools, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bond financing, and a variety of public funding programs administered at the local, state, and Federal levels.
Paul received a Bachelor of Arts in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
Laura Kobler
Director of Training & Senior Program Manager, Sacramento
Laura Kobler joined CHPC in 2003. As Director of Training/Senior Program Manager she provides development and financial technical assistance and training opportunities to nonprofit corporations and public agencies throughout Northern California. Her career in housing began in 1988, serving as the Director of Housing Development for Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA) where she oversaw the organization’s development of new rental housing and acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties. Prior to joining SMHA, Laura was Housing Program Manager and Project Manager at Rural California Housing Corporation (now part of Mercy Housing California), where she was responsible for the development of 27 multi-family and single-family affordable housing developments.
Laura brings particular expertise in the development of mutual and rental housing and the regulations governing the competition for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. She is also the past chair of the Sacramento Reinvestment Committee.
Laura received a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Sacramento, and is a graduate of the LISC Housing Development Training Program.
Meg McGraw-Scherer
Senior Program Manager, San Francisco
Meg McGraw-Scherer joined CHPC in 2000. As Senior Program Manager she provides development and financial technical assistance to nonprofit corporations and public agencies in Northern California. Since 1995, Meg has worked on projects that include structuring financial packages using Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and numerous other federal, state, and local financing sources to produce new construction and acquisition/rehabilitation projects serving families, seniors, and special needs populations.
Prior to joining CHPC, she worked for two years at the National Equity Fund, a nonprofit tax-credit syndication organization that provides millions of dollars in tax-credit equity to California projects. There she worked as an underwriter on numerous Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects sited in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area. Previously, she spent over three years at the King County Housing Authority in Seattle, Washington, as an intern, Housing Programs Coordinator, and Housing Developer in the Housing Authority’s Planning and Development Department. She worked on the development of projects using Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and various federal and local financing programs.
Meg received a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington in Seattle and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College.
Amy Anderson
Senior Program Manager, Los Angeles
Amy joined CHPC in 2008. As Senior Program Manager she provides financial consulting and technical assistance and training to our nonprofit and government clients throughout Southern California.
Amy joined CHPC with more than 12 years of experience planning, developing and financing affordable housing in Los Angeles. Most recently, Amy served as the Housing Director for the Los Angeles Community Design Center (LACDC) where she oversaw the organization’s development of new rental housing and acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties. In nine years working at LACDC, Amy had lead responsibility for the development and financing of more than 1,000 apartments affordable to lower income households.
Amy comes to CHPC with extensive experience in using Low Income Housing Tax Credits as well as a wide array of state, local and federal financing sources including the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP), LA County City of Industry, AHP, LA County HOME, CRA/LA and other local redevelopment, Los Angeles Housing Department Affordable Housing Trust Fund, other State HCD programs, and underwriting project based Section 8. As the Housing Director overseeing the multi-phased New Dana Strand public housing revitalization development in Los Angeles, Amy also has experience with structuring mixed finance public housing redevelopment.
Amy received a Master of Urban Planning from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University.
Greg Chin
Senior Program Manager, San Francisco
Greg Chin joined CHPC in 2008. As Senior Program Manager, Greg provides financial consulting assistance and training to CHPC’s government and nonprofit clients. He has 20 years of experience in affordable housing finance and development. Greg has assisted numerous housing developers, cities, and counties as a consultant on affordable housing projects that included financing with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, redevelopment agency funds, HOME funds, the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program, and other programs. Greg has also assisted public agencies with the creation of affordable housing programs and policies, including inclusionary housing programs and commercial linkage fees that benefit affordable housing.
Greg received a Master of Public Policy from the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Zorica Stancevic
Program Manager, Los Angeles
Zorica Stancevic joined CHPC in 2010. As Program Manager she provides financial consulting, technical assistance and training to our nonprofit and government clients throughout Southern California.
Prior to joining CHPC, Zorica developed affordable housing as Senior Project Manager for A Community of Friends, where she managed the development of supportive housing projects serving numerous special-needs populations. She is knowledgeable in the use of a wide range of community development financing tools, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bond financing, and a variety of public funding programs administered at the local, state, and federal levels including the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP), Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (IIG), Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), Supportive Housing Program (SHP), City of Industry, AHP, CRA/LA, and Los Angeles Housing Department Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Zorica is also skilled in the use of project-based operating subsidies, including project-based Section 8 and Shelter Plus Care.
Zorica received a Masters of Arts in Urban Planning from UCLA and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She is a graduate of the LISC Housing Development and Advanced Housing Development Programs. She also has professional credentialing as a LEED Green Associate.
Marilyn Wacks
Housing Policy Manager, San Francisco
Marilyn Wacks joined CHPC in 2008. As Housing Policy Manager she leads CHPC’s outreach and advocacy activities, working in collaboration with nonprofit, tenant and local government partners to improve housing policy and funding, with a focus on federal housing policy. Marilyn also oversees CHPC’s Housing Preservation Clearinghouse programs, encompassing CHPC’s Assisted Housing Database, training, technical assistance, and coordination of owner/buyer matching to preserve at risk properties.
Prior to joining CHPC, Marilyn served as Special Assistant to Congressman Tom Lantos in his San Mateo district office, focusing on housing, commerce, the environment, and human rights. Her housing related activities included advising Congressman Lantos on important local housing concerns, legislative and grant research, regular participation in HUD Congressional briefings, initiation of roundtable discussions and legislative strategy sessions with community-based organizations, and investigation and mediation on behalf of constituents with housing problems. Marilyn has extensive private sector experience in marketing communications, strategic planning, and technology process implementation.
Marilyn received her Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Notre Dame de Namur University and certification in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Foothill College.
Nadia Shihab
Housing Preservation Specialist, San Francisco
Nadia joined CHPC in 2009 as the Housing Preservation Outreach Coordinator where she supported CHPC’s affordable housing preservation program. Since then, she has authored several in-depth reports and newsletters on affordable rental housing preservation issues. As Housing Preservation Specialist, Nadia works with CHPC’s local government and nonprofit housing agency partners to expand the scope of our Housing Preservation Program benefiting lower income households. Nadia also helps direct outreach activities for CHPC’s Affordable Housing Preservation Clearinghouse.
Nadia has a Masters of City & Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2006.
Ross Nakasone
Sustainable Housing Policy Coordinator, San Francisco
Ross Nakasone joined CHPC in 2011. As the Sustainable Housing Policy Coordinator, he coordinates the Green Rental home Energy Efficiency Network’s (GREEN) efforts to expand access to government and ratepayer funded energy retrofit programs. In addition, Ross works with CHPC’s Housing Policy Manager to coordinate Federal and State advocacy efforts in the area of sustainable housing.
Prior to joining CHPC, Ross was the Legislative Director for San Mateo County for more than six years. In that position, he staffed the Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee and worked to implement the County's legislative agenda. Ross also served as a Housing Preservation Intern at CHPC in 2009.
Ross received a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from San José State University, a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art Studio and Art History from University of California, Davis.
Dorothy Anderson
Accounts Manager, San Francisco
Dorothy Anderson joined CHPC in 1992. She performs all accounting functions, oversees audits and maintains personnel, insurance, administrative and client files.
Board Members
Maria Cabildo, Vice Chair
President, East Los Angeles Community Corporation
Appointed by Assembly Speaker
Jonathan Emami, Secretary
Vice President, ROEM Development Corp.
Appointed by Governor
Paul Schmidt
AIA, Architect, Former Executive Director, CADA
Appointed by Senate President ProTem
Open
Director, Department of Housing and Community Development
Appointed by Governor
Eric Kawamura, Treasurer
General Counsel, Citibank West
Appointed by Governor
Our History
Since its incorporation in 1988, CHPC has helped its partners to create and preserve more than 16,000 affordable homes in California and provided training and technical assistance to more than 6,000 individuals.
For More Information:
Email: info@chpc.net
Phone: 415.433.6804