|
Description of Practice:
John Condas, a Partner in our Orange County office, has broad experience obtaining and defending all types of land use and environmental permits. He has particular experience working with Multiple Species Habitat Plans and advises clients on the developing climate change and green building requirements they face.
Mr. Condas has led legal due diligence and entitlement teams for industrial, commercial, retail, multi-family and single-family residential projects in more than 140 jurisdictions. He has represented national, publicly traded and private home-building clients acquiring more than 18,000 residential lots.
Mr. Condas has taught real estate law at the University of Southern California in the law school, and the MBA and the Master of Real Estate Development programs. He has been recognized by his peers as a Southern California Super Lawyer for Land Use/ Zoning in 2007 and 2008.
Representative Work
Industrial Clients
First Industrial Realty Trust. Assisting client with entitlements due diligence and processing, environmental permitting and green building regulations for its extensive holdings in the Inland Empire.
Watson Land Company. Assisting with entitlements processing for large industrial projects in Chino, unincorporated San Bernardino County and Apple Valley.
Birtcher Development and Investment. Assisting with entitlements processing, MSHCP counseling and environmental permitting for industrial project in Riverside County.
Multi-Family Clients
Fairfield Residential. Assisting with entitlement processing and green building counseling for multi-family projects throughout California.
BRE Properties. Lead land use entitlement lawyer for projects throughout southern California.
JPI. Assisted in due diligence for apartment projects in the Inland Empire.
Fifield Companies. Assisted with obtaining entitlements for a high-rise condominium project in Costa Mesa.
Homebuilder Clients
Centex Homes. Lead land use entitlement lawyer for projects undertaken in the Inland Empire, Southern California Coast, Los Angeles/Ventura, Central Valley and Central Coast. Representation includes assistance in obtaining federal, state and local entitlements, and assisting with due diligence. Without filing litigation, obtained greater than quarter-million dollar refund from a Riverside County city due to overcharging of park fees.
Standard Pacific Homes. Lead land use entitlement lawyer for various projects throughout the Inland Empire and high desert. Representation includes assistance with obtaining federal, state and local entitlements and due diligence.
Lennar Homes, Young Homes, K. Hovnanian Companies, Richmond American Homes and Shea Homes. Assisted clients in processing local entitlements or environmental permits and due diligence.
Commercial, Retail and Mixed-Use Clients
Tustin Legacy Community Partners. Assisted in due diligence and entitlements for Tustin Legacy, a project that includes Shea Homes and Shea Properties. The development includes approximately 2,100 residential units and 7.3 million square feet of commercial property to be built on the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station.
Castle & Cooke, et al. v. County of Riverside Represented Castle & Cooke entities and non-profit entities in litigation contesting Riverside County's approval of the western Riverside MSHCP. Obtained favorable settlement prior to trial.
KSL Recreation Corporation. Led legal entitlement due diligence team analyzing entitlements regarding KSL's purchase of the La Costa Resort and beach front property in Encinitas.
Fritz Duda Company. Assisted with obtaining entitlements and resolving burrowing owl issues for retail project in Moreno Valley.
Land Developer and Lender Clients
Anheuser Busch. Assisting with MSHCP and entitlements counseling for holdings in Riverside County.
Fortland Entities. Assisting with obtaining entitlements and climate change counseling for numerous projects throughout the Inland Empire.
Capstone Advisors. Led legal due diligence team for financing of residential projects in Fillmore and Indio.
Sage Community Group. Assisted client with obtaining entitlements for a master-planned community in Shafter and with obtaining wildlife agency permits for a project in Agoura.
Professional Affiliations
Member of Executive Committee, Lusk Center for Real Estate, University of Southern California
Member of Board of Directors, Roger C. Hobbs Institute for Real Estate and Environmental Studies, Chapman University
Urban Land Institute
Presentations
Speaker and moderator, "The Greening of Industrial Real Estate," RealShare Industrial West Conference, November 2007.
Speaker, "Coachella Valley MSHCP: How It Could Affect You And Your Development Plans," Building Industry Association Desert Chapter Seminar, April 2006.
Speaker, "Hot Topics In Land Use," Building Industry Association of the San Joaquin Valley Seminar, March 2006.
Speaker, "Hot Topics I Panel," 21st Annual Building Industry Association of Orange County Real Estate Conference, March 2005.
Speaker, "Assessing and Managing Entitlement Risks: Big Picture Strategies During Due Diligence," Centex Homes' West Coast Region Executives, January 2005.
Speaker, "Due Diligence and Entitlement Processing," Woodside Homes, July 2004.
Speaker, "Entitlements Strategies to Add Value, Minimize Risk and Maximize Certainty: From Due Diligence to Building Permit Issuance," Centex Homes' West Coast Region executives land forum December 2003.
Educational History:
John received his J.D. from the University of Southern California in 1988, his M.A. in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1985 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1983. |
