Lawson Announces Promotion
Will Sexauer has been elevated to senior development manager at Lawson. He will lead the development team in sourcing development opportunities, feasibility and due diligence, conceptual design, and business development.
Sexauer joined Lawson in 2021 and recently served as acquisitions manager, where he was instrumental in expanding the company’s footprint into key markets. His work has contributed significantly to Lawson’s pipeline of affordable housing developments throughout Virginia.
In his new role, Sexauer will continue to work closely with Lawson’s acquisitions, finance, design, and construction teams to help create quality affordable housing developments for Virginia families.
Lawson manages and owns about 5,000 apartments and continues to grow with 1,200 units under construction or development.
Logos Faith Development Expands Leadership Team
Ryan Lehman has joined Logos Faith Development, a Los Angeles-based real estate firm specializing in transforming underutilized church land into affordable housing.
As senior director of development, he will lead the planning and execution of affordable and supportive housing projects, overseeing all phases of development.
Lehman recently served as senior director of real estate development at American Family Housing, an Orange County, California-based developer focused on supportive housing.
He joins Logos as the firm has secured an $11.1 million strategic capital commitment from a private, values-aligned family foundation to support a growing development pipeline and enhance the company’s ability to reach the construction phase across 12 development sites in Los Angeles and San Diego over the next two years.
Regions Appoints Head of Originations
David Payne has been elevated to head of originations at Regions Affordable Housing.
David Payne
Payne will oversee all affordable housing originations by relationship managers supporting developers in many key growth markets across the country. Through low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs), comprehensive financial solutions, and a suite of additional banking options, he will provide business development and leadership to the group.
Payne, who has 23 years of affordable housing industry experience, previously served as co-head of originations for Regions Affordable Housing and led the bank’s work in sourcing and originating transactions across the Southeast. He served as a relationship manager and credit underwriter before that. Payne also has leadership experience with various state-level affordable housing trade groups.
Merchants Capital Adds to Tax Credit Team
Brandon Conway
Brandon Conway has been named executive vice president of tax credit equity asset management at Merchants Capital. He is based in the firm’s Carmel, Indiana, headquarters.
The addition reflects the growth of Merchants’ tax credit equity platform, which has raised more than $2.1 billion in capital since its inception in 2021.
Conway brings more than 20 years of LIHTC asset management experience, including seven years of special assets and dispositions experience to his role. Most recently he served as a senior vice president at CREA.
DCHFA Announces Moves
Melissa Lee
The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency has announced two recent appointments.
Melissa Lee has joined the agency as chief financial officer. Her experience includes serving as the director of treasury operations at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, where she executed the organization’s cash, debt, and investment strategy, including issuance and compliance on over $1 billion in tax-exempt bond, private loan, and line of credit activities. Most recently, she served as the CFO at Planned Parenthood of Maryland, where she directed the organization’s accounting and revenue cycle management activities.
Lee also founded and served as managing principal of Lee Squared Consulting Group, where she delivered financial strategies for small businesses and community-based organizations, including advisory and compliance activities for LIHTC portfolios and Community Development Block Grants. She has also served as a commissioner on the District of Columbia Housing Authority Board.
Geoffrey Shepard
Geoffrey Shepard has been named an underwriter in the multifamily lending and neighborhood investments division.
He will support the issuance of tax-exempt and taxable bonds, 4% LIHTCs, and predevelopment loans through the McKinney Act program. Shepard previously served at the Low Income Investment Fund and City First Enterprises, where he originated and underwrote loans for affordable housing and community facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
