Celeste Stahl Brady helps public and private entities—including cities, housing authorities, and successor agencies—revitalize and develop affordable housing units, commercial spaces, and infrastructure projects to spur economic growth and achieve community goals throughout California. She has dedicated her legal career to planning, financing, structuring, and contracting affordable housing, economic development, and infrastructure projects, often through public-private partnerships.
City attorneys, in-house counsel, and law firms consider Celeste their go-to special counsel for their most challenging development projects and other public law matters. Celeste advises clients in multi-party real estate transactions, including affordable housing and commercial development; land use planning, zoning, and entitlements; infrastructure financing; public records procedures and conflict-of-interest laws.
Celeste’s expertise guides her clients through the hurdles of complex business and legal issues, while she remains attentive to the intricacies of local laws and regulations. Celeste achieves effective and efficient results while balancing the demands of lenders, investors, and regulators—who often impose tight deadlines and other demands.
Celeste’s transactional experience spans housing, commercial, and regulatory projects. For example, she skillfully assists clients in negotiating public–private partnerships to build, renovate, and operate affordable housing funded by local, county, regional, state, and federal programs. In addition, she frequently works with cities to structure economic development and revitalization programs for retail, entertainment, restaurant, and other businesses. Further, following the dissolution of California’s redevelopment agencies in 2011-2012, Celeste continues to represent successor agencies in fulfilling their financial obligations and winding down their operations.
Some highlights of more recent projects include:
- City of Costa Mesa’s Lions Park Project: Celeste worked in coordination with Stradling’s public finance team to represent the City and its financing authority in issuing $29.7 million of lease revenue bonds to redevelop Lions Park. The project includes a new two-story, 20,000 square-foot library, the repurposing and renovation of the former library building into a new Neighborhood Community Center, and adds one acre of programmed open space with an event lawn for a variety of family and educational events.
- Fountain Valley Family Housing: When Fountain Valley Family Housing Partners (FVFHP) sought financing to address the housing needs of working families, homeless families, and those at-risk of homelessness, Celeste represented the Fountain Valley Housing Authority in funding the development with money sourced from housing asset funds. Celeste prepared and negotiated the Affordable Housing Agreement under which the Housing Authority will provide a total investment of $8.2M in FVFHP’s development and operation of a new 50‑unit affordable housing project, with eight permanent supportive housing units.
- El Verano Senior Housing in Anaheim: After a long period of criminal activity and increased need for first responder calls at The Sandman Hotel, Celeste helped the Anaheim Housing Authority in a public/private partnership with an affiliate of Innovative Housing Opportunities for development and operation of El Verano, a 54-unit senior affordable housing project on the 1.1-acre site of the former motel that will provide much-needed affordable housing for seniors, including those who are disabled and homeless. Anaheim provided subordinate financing sourced from the housing asset fund, federal HOME Program, and other state and federal programs.
- Westminster Crossing: In 2019, Westminster retained Celeste as special counsel for affordable housing matters. The Westminster Housing Authority invested $5.5M in Westminster Crossing, a new 65-unit development by an affiliate of Meta Housing. When completed, the project will serve Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low Income families, including units for tenants with special needs and units of permanent supportive housing for the homeless.
- Recent Public–Private Partnership Projects for Anaheim: Celeste has represented the Anaheim Housing Authority since 1988. Three recent projects include two now under development by an affiliate of Jamboree Housing Corporation and another by The Related Companies. Manchester Apartments is a 102-unit new construction project for which Anaheim assembled and ground-leased two parcels as a part of the financing for a 9% tax credit transaction; the project will serve Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low Income families, including households with special needs and permanent supportive housing for the homeless. EconoLodge is the conversion of a 70-room motel into affordable studio apartments serving the homeless and persons at-risk of becoming homeless. Related’s Hermosa Village Phase II is a 112-unit affordable housing project financed through a ground lease, subordinate loan, 4% tax credits, and multifamily housing revenue bonds. Over the past 20 years, Celeste has represented Anaheim for all phases of the 517-unit Hermosa Village complex that consists of Phases I, II, III and IV, including the resyndication of HV I and HV II to ensure long-term affordable housing in the community.
- Garden Grove Civic Center Development: In 2018, Celeste helped secure a full defense verdict at trial for the City of Garden Grove, City Council, Housing Authority, and Successor Agency in a case that challenged the sale of 17 properties to LAB Holding, LLC for commercial development. The Stradling team prevailed by proving to the Court that Garden Grove had complied with all applicable affordable housing and land disposition laws, which green-lighted the economic development of that area of the Civic Center.
- Sycamore Court in Garden Grove: Celeste assisted the City of Garden Grove in issuing a $1.2 million loan to Mariman & Co. sourced from HOME Program funds; the federal funds were paired with $13.8M in bond proceeds issued by a pooled financing authority for the acquisition and rehabilitation of Sycamore Court, a 78-unit affordable housing development. This complex previously was under cooperative ownership that was converted into rental units for Low Income and Very Low Income tenants.
- Mission Viejo and Families Forward: The Mission Viejo Housing Authority and Families Forward have partnered to acquire and rehabilitate several existing townhomes as long-term housing for homeless families. Celeste represented Mission Viejo in these transactions that were financed by loans of Community Development Block Grant funds.
- City of South Gate Cooperation with Los Angeles Unified School District: The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has added four new and improved existing K–12 schools in South Gate. Over the past 10 years, Celeste has advised the City in achieving the goals of the community, both the City and LAUSD. For example, she negotiated a series of memorandums of understanding that resulted in LAUSD funding various street improvements to establish safe routes to school; a joint use arrangement for shared use of new athletic fields and a recreation facility at Legacy High and Middle Schools; and the widening of Firestone Boulevard adjacent to South Gate Middle School. In addition, Celeste has advised the City of South Gate related to completion of key public improvements associated with the development of the Azalea Shopping Center.
Celeste’s transactional experience spans housing, commercial, and regulatory projects. For example, she skillfully assists clients in negotiating public–private partnerships to build, renovate, and operate affordable housing funded by local, county, regional, state, and federal programs. In addition, she frequently works with cities to structure economic development and revitalization programs for retail, entertainment, restaurant, and other businesses. Further, following the dissolution of California’s redevelopment agencies in 2011-2012, Celeste continues to represent successor agencies in fulfilling their financial obligations and winding down their operations.
Some highlights of more recent projects include:
- City of Costa Mesa’s Lions Park Project: Celeste worked in coordination with Stradling’s public finance team to represent the City and its financing authority in issuing $29.7 million of lease revenue bonds to redevelop Lions Park. The project includes a new two-story, 20,000 square-foot library, the repurposing and renovation of the former library building into a new Neighborhood Community Center, and adds one acre of programmed open space with an event lawn for a variety of family and educational events.
- Fountain Valley Family Housing: When Fountain Valley Family Housing Partners (FVFHP) sought financing to address the housing needs of working families, homeless families, and those at-risk of homelessness, Celeste represented the Fountain Valley Housing Authority in funding the development with money sourced from housing asset funds. Celeste prepared and negotiated the Affordable Housing Agreement under which the Housing Authority will provide a total investment of $8.2M in FVFHP’s development and operation of a new 50‑unit affordable housing project, with eight permanent supportive housing units.
- El Verano Senior Housing in Anaheim: After a long period of criminal activity and increased need for first responder calls at The Sandman Hotel, Celeste helped the Anaheim Housing Authority in a public/private partnership with an affiliate of Innovative Housing Opportunities for development and operation of El Verano, a 54-unit senior affordable housing project on the 1.1-acre site of the former motel that will provide much-needed affordable housing for seniors, including those who are disabled and homeless. Anaheim provided subordinate financing sourced from the housing asset fund, federal HOME Program, and other state and federal programs.
- Westminster Crossing: In 2019, Westminster retained Celeste as special counsel for affordable housing matters. The Westminster Housing Authority invested $5.5M in Westminster Crossing, a new 65-unit development by an affiliate of Meta Housing. When completed, the project will serve Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low Income families, including units for tenants with special needs and units of permanent supportive housing for the homeless.
- Recent Public–Private Partnership Projects for Anaheim: Celeste has represented the Anaheim Housing Authority since 1988. Three recent projects include two now under development by an affiliate of Jamboree Housing Corporation and another by The Related Companies. Manchester Apartments is a 102-unit new construction project for which Anaheim assembled and ground-leased two parcels as a part of the financing for a 9% tax credit transaction; the project will serve Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low Income families, including households with special needs and permanent supportive housing for the homeless. EconoLodge is the conversion of a 70-room motel into affordable studio apartments serving the homeless and persons at-risk of becoming homeless. Related’s Hermosa Village Phase II is a 112-unit affordable housing project financed through a ground lease, subordinate loan, 4% tax credits, and multifamily housing revenue bonds. Over the past 20 years, Celeste has represented Anaheim for all phases of the 517-unit Hermosa Village complex that consists of Phases I, II, III and IV, including the resyndication of HV I and HV II to ensure long-term affordable housing in the community.
- Garden Grove Civic Center Development: In 2018, Celeste helped secure a full defense verdict at trial for the City of Garden Grove, City Council, Housing Authority, and Successor Agency in a case that challenged the sale of 17 properties to LAB Holding, LLC for commercial development. The Stradling team prevailed by proving to the Court that Garden Grove had complied with all applicable affordable housing and land disposition laws, which green-lighted the economic development of that area of the Civic Center.
- Sycamore Court in Garden Grove: Celeste assisted the City of Garden Grove in issuing a $1.2 million loan to Mariman & Co. sourced from HOME Program funds; the federal funds were paired with $13.8M in bond proceeds issued by a pooled financing authority for the acquisition and rehabilitation of Sycamore Court, a 78-unit affordable housing development. This complex previously was under cooperative ownership that was converted into rental units for Low Income and Very Low Income tenants.
- Mission Viejo and Families Forward: The Mission Viejo Housing Authority and Families Forward have partnered to acquire and rehabilitate several existing townhomes as long-term housing for homeless families. Celeste represented Mission Viejo in these transactions that were financed by loans of Community Development Block Grant funds.
- City of South Gate Cooperation with Los Angeles Unified School District: The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has added four new and improved existing K–12 schools in South Gate. Over the past 10 years, Celeste has advised the City in achieving the goals of the community, both the City and LAUSD. For example, she negotiated a series of memorandums of understanding that resulted in LAUSD funding various street improvements to establish safe routes to school; a joint use arrangement for shared use of new athletic fields and a recreation facility at Legacy High and Middle Schools; and the widening of Firestone Boulevard adjacent to South Gate Middle School. In addition, Celeste has advised the City of South Gate related to completion of key public improvements associated with the development of the Azalea Shopping Center.