Ann Silverberg

It’s not easy to step into William Witte’s shoes after he successfully led major West Coast developer Related California since its inception 36 years ago (see related entry), but two people are trying to do just that.

Since Witte stepped down at the beginning of the year, Silverberg has led the firm’s entire $3.5 billion affordable housing division while Gino Canori (see related entry) has headed up the firm’s market-rate and mixed-income development group.

Silverberg’s new title makes her the clear point person on Related California’s P&L on affordability, as well as on the developer’s role in addressing the larger housing crunch challenge across the Golden State.

Over the last six years, Silverberg has overseen or directed the growth of Related California’s affordable pipeline in Northern California and the Northwest, which now has over 5,000 units under construction or in predevelopment. Projects include the 303-unit Alveare affordable community in downtown Los Angeles, which is being developed through a public-private partnership.

Like Related, Silverberg has a long track record on the affordable housing side. She has spent more than 25 years in affordable housing development and finance, which includes leading the development and redevelopment of more than 8,000 affordable, mixed-income, mixed-use and transit-oriented housing units as executive vice president and CIO at San Francisco-based Bridge Housing. Silverberg has also facilitated the acquisition and redevelopment of nearly 1,000 public housing units in San Francisco and Sacramento.