Somos Group

Today, our client, the California Community Foundation (CCF), released a request for qualifications (RFQ) from qualified developers to partner with CCF on a mixed-use affordable housing project in Culver City, CA. In partnership with CCF, the selected developer will take the lead on securing financing and developing the project from pre-development to construction administration. Somos is proud to represent CCF in this exciting project and will help to facilitate the project through entitlements to full operation. More information can be found in the RFQ, attached below. CCF has requested qualifications from interested parties by 5:00 p.m. PT on Friday, December 6, 2024. To provide additional information and answer questions about the project, CCF will be holding an optional informational session on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 1:00pm PT. Zoom webinar information can be found in the attached RFQ. Please submit any questions in advance to: [email protected].

Somos is thrilled to announce that our lawyers and advisors recently assisted the Balloon Museum World in navigating the local permitting and land-use process to bring their groundbreaking, “Let’s Fly” exhibit, to Los Angeles. This immersive exhibition showcases inflatable artworks by renowned international artists, transforming the way art is encountered through interactive installations. If you have projects requiring sophisticated permitting support, including expedited processing, please reach out to us! https://lnkd.in/grAfdSMu

Architecture and design?shape not only our environments but also our communities and values. As we reflect on what it means to create?inclusive, resilient spaces, we look to the past for inspiration while reimagining the future. Please join me for?the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design's Under the Influence 008 at the iconic?Avenel Cooperative Housing, designed by Gregory Ain. This event is part of a series that expands upon?Los Angeles Modernism, a movement that boldly rejected the status quo, embraced?experimentation, and pursued a vision of freedom in design and social equality. I'm proud to be in conversation with my dear friend Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO about her aligned and complimentary work in Mexico and beyond. We’ll gather architects, artists, and designers from around the world to explore how this radical approach continues to influence culture today—and, more importantly, what comes next. Looking forward to the dialogue and insights! RSVP here:?https://lnkd.in/gnYFGQEP?

Somos is proud to welcome Noelle Frances Natividad as a Law Extern. Noelle is currently a 2L at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She was born in the Philippines and is a proud first-generation immigrant and first-generation law student. Her favorite part of law school so far has been her involvement with APALSA, APABA, and other local affinity organizations. In her free time, her hobbies include hiking, sourdough baking, and thrifting. Welcome Noelle!

Latinos are an increasingly important voting bloc in our country and we are fortunate to have dynamic leaders at all levels of government representing our community's lived experience. It was a special honor for Somos Group to recently host two members of Congress, Congressman Jimmy Gomez and Congressman Joaquin Castro, at our headquarters to talk about critical issues that are facing the Latino community across the country. Representatives Castro and Gomez spoke about the importance of increasing the participation and representation of Latinos and the positive impact this can have on issues like jobs, housing, education, and political empowerment. Our thanks to them for joining us, and to H. Analco González, Vincent Cordero, Joe Acevedo, and Arturo Sneider who co-hosted this inspirational event.

We are proud to congratulate our client, ETHOS Real Estate, on a major win for affordable housing in the City of Santa Ana! In partnership with Bridge Investment Group, Ethos has finalized a deal to preserve hundreds of units at Horizon Apartments as affordable housing, ensuring that 50% of the units will be available to households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). This collaboration helps keep residents in their homes, reduces displacement, and provides crucial social, educational, and economic support through Bridge’s nonprofit partner, Project Access. At Somos Group, we are excited to continue supporting ETHOS as they drive meaningful, community-centered change in the affordable housing space!

Today, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass took steps to consolidate City efforts to plan, finance and construct the public infrastructure needed for the Olympics and other?sporting events.?Executive Directive No. 9 focuses on streamlining capital project delivery and ensuring equitable investments in the public right-of-way.?The directive acknowledges that despite prior planning efforts, such as Mobility Plan 2035 and Vision Zero, there has been a lack of urgency in implementing projects.?The directive calls for an urgent and more strategic, long-term approach. A key component of the directive is the establishment of the Capital Planning Steering Committee, which will bring together various City departments to improve governance, funding, and delivery of capital projects.?The Committee is tasked with creating a charter to define roles, decision-making processes, and resource requirements, as well as developing proposals to address funding shortfalls and improve project coordination.?The directive emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive, multi-year plan to guide future infrastructure investments. Additionally, the directive calls for the consolidation of existing working groups to streamline maintenance and project development activities.?The Steering Committee will also be responsible for establishing a centralized asset management system to provide real-time, transparent information on the City's infrastructure, supporting data-driven decision-making and improved budget planning. Overall, the directive aims to foster a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure network by enhancing collaboration between City departments, modernizing asset management, and strategically prioritizing projects to maximize public benefit and address long-standing disparities. Read more about the Executive Directive below:

We are pleased to announce a successful outcome for one of our non-profit service provider clients in a Los Angeles County Contract Compliance Audit. Our team diligently reviewed County, State, and Federal regulations?to address concerns involving a less-than-arm’s-length commercial lease transaction. Through detailed financial analysis, corporate counsel, and legal review, we resolved the public contract audit inquiry, demonstrating that no excess benefit transactions occurred. ? At Somos, we are committed to transparency and upholding the highest standards of corporate compliance for our clients. If your organization is facing a similar audit or navigating complex corporate governance challenges, our team is here to provide expert guidance and support.

Thank you ULI Los Angeles for featuring our Founder and CEO Alfred Fraijo Jr. who has built Somos as a platform to create inclusive, diverse, and resilient cities.

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, ULI LA would like to spotlight on of our members: Alfred Fraijo Jr.! ? Alfred is owner and principal of the Somos Group. He founded Somos to spearhead innovative projects for clients that depend on partnerships and a broad range of disciplines in planning and law to reimagine urban placemaking. He specializes in managing the design and permitting of complex development projects for government and private sector clients. Alfred was born and raised in Los Angeles and is passionate about community service and serves on prominent organizations advancing urban redevelopment and social equity. He is a leader in the Latinx and LGBTQ communities, serving on the executive boards of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the California Community Foundation and is the founder of Inclusive Action for the City Inc., a multi-disciplinary nonprofit organization advocating for equitable land use and sustainable development policies. Alfred serves as president on the board of directors for the Friends of the Hollywood Freeway Central Park, and he advises several non-profit housing development corporations, serving as a board member of California Community Builders and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. In addition, he is a founding board member of Honor PAC and For People of Color, a non-profit organization dedicated to growing diversity in the legal profession. Thank you for all your wonderful contributions to our city and ULI LA!