
Zach Johnson was 21 years old and freshly out of college when he joined Gorman & Co., a national affordable and workforce housing developer, as an entry-level development associate. Fifteen years and multiple promotions later, he's the firm's director of housing finance and one of the best at closing deals, including complex public housing redevelopment transactions.
Key duties: Structures the financing of affordable housing developments and manages corporate relationships with syndicators, investors, lenders, and other project partners across Gorman & Co.’s markets.
Accomplishments: He closed over $400 million in complex affordable and mixed-income housing transactions representing more than 1,500 units since 2020, with another $250 million in financing on projects that are moving toward closing. He served as a key driver in structuring the financing for a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) grant in partnership with the city of Phoenix and a $50 million CNI grant in partnership with the city of Tucson. In addition, he helped grow the Arizona market into one of the firm’s largest markets with 3,000 units of affordable housing placed in service or under construction.
Most rewarding: “I enjoy working in the affordable housing industry because I believe that everyone deserves a nice place to call home. Having a safe place to live is a foundational aspect of being successful,” he says.
Family: Johnson and his wife, Katie, have three young children.
Active with: National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, Rental Assistance Demonstration Collaborative, and Arizona Housing Coalition.