Gilbane Development Company Expands Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing Team

Providence, RI (December 7, 2023) – Gilbane Development Company (“GDC”) announces the expansion of the company’s affordable & mixed-income housing team with the addition of over ten new team members across the country throughout 2023. This strategic expansion reflects Gilbane Development Company’s commitment to addressing urgent housing needs by delivering high-quality, sustainable, and inclusive housing solutions to communities across the United States.

Team members joining the company in 2023 include:

Yarojin (“Roj”) Robinson, Senior Vice President, who is leading the company’s affordable & mixed-income housing team nationwide and is a member of the Gilbane Development Company’s executive team. Roj previously worked as a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in New York, where he served as a senior leader in the Urban Investment Group.

• Brendan McBride, Senior Development Director, who will expand the affordable & mixed-income housing platforms in the Northeast market. Prior to joining GDC, Brendan was the Associate Commissioner of New Construction at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
• Bobvala Tengen, Senior Development Manager, who is expanding the affordable & mixed-income housing platforms in Washington, DC and the Southeast market. Bob came to GDC from Foulger Pratt, where he was a Development Manager.
• Serin Choi, Development Manager, who is focused on the affordable & mixed-income housing platform in the Northeast market joins Gilbane from Mega Development, where she was a Project Manager.
• Malcolm Rasul and George Papadopolous, Senior Project Managers, who both oversee multiple projects in the development and growth of our affordable & mixed-income housing platform in the New York market. Prior to GDC, Malcolm was the Director of Operations for the Capital Projects Division at the New York City Housing Authority, and George was a Partner/Project Manager at Precision Capital.
• Omar Tazi, CPA, Accounting Manager, who now oversees accounting functions and compliance of all affordable housing projects at Gilbane Development Company, joins Gilbane from the Carpionato Group where he was an Assistant Controller.
• Nelson DeJesus Ubri, Senior Analyst, who is responsible for providing financial analysis and advice for the financing, acquisition, marketing, and leasing affordable & mixed-income housing opportunities joins GDC from the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he was a Real Estate Transaction Services Associate.
• Andrew Olivo, Analyst, who is responsible for providing financial analysis and advice for the financing, acquisition, marketing, and leasing across the affordable & mixed-income housing platform. Prior to joining Gilbane Development Company, Andrew was a Project Manager in the Office of Development – Division of Special Needs Housing for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
• Samantha Rawlinson, Accountant, who assists in the accounting functions and compliance of all affordable housing projects, joins from Res/Title, Inc.
• Cecil Essien, Development Associate, who is involved with market research, property acquisition, financial analysis, due diligence, and coordination with governmental agencies for affordable & mixed-income housing opportunities.
• Esme Gonzalez, Support Assistant, who will support the day-to-day needs of our affordable & mixed-income housing teams.

“We are thrilled to have welcomed these talented professionals to our Gilbane Development Company team,” said Yarojin Robinson, Senior Vice President, Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing at Gilbane Development Company. “They bring a wealth of experience and expertise and will help us achieve our vision of being a leader in creating quality and environmentally friendly affordable communities across the country. This growth is not only about increasing our capacity and capabilities; it is also a reflection of our core values and our dedication to serving the diverse and evolving needs of our communities.”

This growing team joins an experienced affordable housing group which has developed or is underway on more than 10,000 units of affordable and mixed-income housing across the U.S., and has been ranked among the “Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers” by Affordable Housing Finance. GDC has a long history of commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability and has been recognized as a finalist for its excellence in affordable housing by the Urban Land Institute New York for its project, The Peninsula 1A & 1B (Phase 1) in The Bronx, NY, and has also won the Blue Ribbon Award for Design Excellence, Round 3, Early Design Phase from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for its Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments project in Brooklyn, NY, among several other awards.

Gilbane Development Company’s commitment to social engagement in each affordable development improves the economic and social well-being of residents by offering supportive services, educational workshops, nutrition, computer training, job readiness, financial counseling, resume building, and tax preparation. These services are made available to residents through local partnerships, including public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community groups, to ensure that each project reflects and respects the unique character and culture of each neighborhood.