Related California, the West Coast affiliate of Related Cos., will see a leadership change effective next year.
The company announced that Ann Silverberg will be president and CEO of the affordable housing division, and Gino Canori will serve as president and CEO of the market-rate division.
Co-founder and chairman Bill Witte will assume the role of chairman emeritus.
Witte founded Related California with Stephen Ross in 1989, and he, along with his longtime business partner Frank Cardone, grew the company into a prolific affordable housing developer. Under Witte’s leadership, Related California is now one of the largest real estate companies on the West Coast.
“Bill has been an absolute force in California real estate, not only by driving the success of the business for over 35 years, but by helping shape the broader landscape of affordable housing and development,” said Jeff T. Blau, CEO of Related Cos. “We are grateful for his leadership, friendship, and dedication, and we have full confidence in Gino and Ann to steward this next chapter for Related California.”
The portfolio encompasses 21,000-plus residential units completed or under construction, including landmark public housing redevelopments such as the Sunnydale Hope SF community in San Francisco, mixed-income and market-rate homes such as Ocean Avenue South in Santa Monica and The Century in Los Angeles, and mixed-use developments such as the South Coast Metro revitalization in Santa Ana.
“When I look back on the past four decades and what this team has created, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride,” Witte said. “From the day we opened for business, our mission has been to build quality housing that meets the interests and needs of all Californians. Through the grit and determination of a group of smart, driven, and caring people, we were able to accomplish that and much more. I am beyond confident in Related California’s future under the leadership of Gino and Ann.”
Silverberg, a veteran affordable housing development executive with more than 25 years of experience, has served as CEO of Related California’s Northern California and Northwest affordable divisions for the past seven years. In her new role as president and CEO of Related California/Northwest Affordable, she will oversee all aspects of the company’s affordable housing development business lines and operations, including in Northern California, Southern California, and the Pacific Northwest.
Prior to joining the firm, she was executive vice president and chief investment officer at BRIDGE Housing, where she directed and oversaw the nonprofit’s Northern California division. She led the development and redevelopment of more than 8,000 affordable, mixed-income, mixed-use and transit-oriented housing units.
“Bill’s unwavering commitment to affordable housing for nearly 40 years is what distinguishes Related California as one of the most prominent developers in the state,” Silverberg said. “I am grateful to Bill for the standards he has set and honored to continue his life’s work of delivering quality affordable homes for families, seniors, and middle-income households. I look forward to working with Gino and our team of professionals across the West Coast who share this commitment and mission.”
Canori will oversee the market-rate and mixed-income development group. His career spans more than 24 years with Related California, where he has been instrumental in the rapid expansion and success statewide. Today, as firm president, he oversees a $10 billion pipeline of projects that includes 7,000-plus multifamily units and more than 5 million square feet of commercial space.